Abstract: A method of coating a material surface with thin film silicon comprises dissolving silicon in a metal solvent to form a solution and subsequently deposited the dissolved silicon from the solution by controlling the temperature of the solution and thereby depositing a layer of silicon onto the material surface. The metal solvent is preferably a mixture of gold and a metal or metals which either have a melting point below the deposition temperature range or which form a eutectic with gold and have a eutectic temperature below the deposition temperature range. The temperature of the solution is controlled so that the silicon becomes super saturated in the solution and is deposited out of solution onto the material surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the shaping of solar cell substrate surfaces in order to provide advantageous light-catching and interaction properties.Previous solar cell substrates have suffered from a relatively high percentage loss of light due to reflection from the substrate surface, as well as the disadvantage that light passing into the substrate may not be absorbed in regions of high collection probability, close to the semiconductor junctions.By specifically shaping the surface of the substrate to produce predetermined surface structures the above disadvantages can be minimized. Previous texturing of solar cell substrates has relied on the crystalline structure of the substrate to control the surface texture. The surface thus produced does not maximize the antireflection and absorption properties.By using a laser scriber and following this with a chemical etch, we produce surface shapes which maximize the anti-reflection and absorption properties of the solar cell.

Abstract: Solar cells are produced in which surface texturing of the substrate surface, in the form of geometric ridges and pyramids, are formed at an angle to the perpendicular such that the ridges and pyramids are not symmetrical about a perpendicular axis or plane. Such "tilted" texturing causes an increased number of passes of trapped light within the cell and also within the encapsulation covering the cell thereby increasing the chances of light being absorbed. A process for manufacture of cells with tilted texturing involves sawing a wafer from an ingot at an angle .alpha. to the 100 plane and then processing the wafer in a conventional fashion, including texturing the surface with ridges or pyramids.

Abstract: A Schottky barrier CCD infra-red (IR) detector array having Schottky junction IR sensitive gates as the transfer gates of the CCD array. These Schottky gates perform both IR detection and CCD shift register function within the array, thereby improving the fill factor and/or pixel size of the device.

Abstract: An electrical contact formed in a groove in the surface of a semiconductor material facilitates an advantageous contact with the material for a given cross-sectional area of contact when compared with a contact of the same cross-sectional area formed on the surface of the material. The grooved contact significantly reduces shading of the surface of the semiconductor material compared with an equivalent surface contact.

Abstract: An electrical contact formed in a groove in the surface of a semiconductor material facilitates an advantageous contact with the material for a given cross-sectional area of contact when compared with a contact of the same cross-sectional area formed on the surface of the material. The grooved contact significantly reduces shading of the surface of the semiconductor material compared with an equivalent surface contact.

Abstract: The invention relates to ACSR conductors having two or more layers of conductor strands wound helically around a steel core, the layers being wound alternately in right-handed and left-handed helices. The AC/DC resistance ratio of such a conductor can be greatly reduced by appropriate selection of the lay factors of the strand layers in relation to the cross sectional areas of the respective layers. The unbalanced mechanical torque can also be greatly reduced by appropriate selection of the lay factors of the strand layers in relation to the means diameters of the layers and the outside diameter of the conductor.

Abstract: Grooved solar cells are manufactured by scribing the surface of the substrate with a laser scribing tool, and optionally etching the surface to more accurately determine the surface profile, before performing the remainder of the processing steps involved in the production of the solar cell. Top contact shading is avoided by providing holes through the substrate which allow connection to the top layer of the cell to be made from the back of the cell. Resistance to radiation is improved by providing a cell which is grooved on the top and bottom surfaces, the grooves of the bottom surface being spaced between the grooves on the top surface to allow the formation of a relatively thin cell structure. Top layer sheet resistivity is also varied to allow improved efficiency while maintaining the series resistance of the cell substantially unaltered.

Abstract: A Passivated Emitter Solar Cell (PESC) with reduced surface recombination due to reduced contact area between the top metal contact and the top surface of the cell, and having an open circuit voltage approaching 700 mV and an energy conversion efficiency in excess of 19% is disclosed. The reduced contact area is obtained by a technique which simultaneously defines the lateral geometry of the top metal contact while allowing the top metal contact to be of much larger area than the area of contact to the top surface of the cell. Also disclosed are methods of manufacture of solar cells having an increased open cell voltage obtained by improved passivation of the cell surface obtained by this technique.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new-type of solar cell structure, and to a method of manufacturing same. The solar cell is designated as an MINP cell (Metal-Insulator-NP junction solar cell). Essentially, the MINP solar cell is an extremely shallow N-P junction cell with a MIS (Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor) type contact made to the top of the cell. Although combining features of the two technologies, no more processing steps are required than for a conventional P-N junction cell. The advantage of the MINP structure is its substantially improved efficiency.

Abstract: A method of connecting a shunting diode in parallel with a solar cell for the purpose of improving the tolerance of an array of solar cells to mismatch in cell output, whether caused by physical differences in the cells, cell breakage, or the effect of shading, is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method of forming a plurality of interconnected solar cells on a single sheet of semiconductor material, wherein if required, each cell in the array of cells may be shunted by a diode.

Abstract: The invention relates to master cylinder and actuator assemblies in which a push rod connected to the actuator extends forwardly through a vehicle mounting member and is engageable at its forward end with a piston, there normally being a clearance between the push rod and the piston in their inoperative positions. Such assemblies suffer from the disadvantage that a desired working clearance is difficult to attain due to manufacturing tolerances. Embodiments of the present invention overcome that disadvantage and provide an assembly which includes a lateral projection (10) on the push rod (5), which projection limits rearward movement of the push rod relative to the mounting member (3).

Abstract: An educational device for training in arithmetic utilizing rotatably mounted hand like members which simulate a pair of hands which exhibit a selected numeral on each finger like portion of each hand. Each finger like portion of each hand member is alignable with a finger like portion of the other hand member and with a reference line. In an arcuate area below the reference line and under each hand like portion is disposed a row of tens which are circumferentially aligned with a row of five apertures on each hand like member with each aperture being aligned with a single finger like portion on each hand like member.Adapters are provided for covering the numerals of each of the finger like portions and displaying a numeral which is a multiple of the numeral appearing on each of the finger like portions respectively. Adapters are also provided for covering each of the arcuate portions and displaying two rows of numerals corresponding to twice said multiple of tens.

Abstract: Disposable manual finger shielding bilateral shovel tongs for sanitary removal and disposal of obnoxious matter such as animal excrement or litter, in the form of a self interlocking unitary firm structural planar member of locally linearly foldable and stiffly bendable resilient disposable material, e.g. biodegradable paperboard, having reinforcing interfolded and interlocked coplanar panels generally providing a substantially rectangular, flat, two dimensional composite shape and finger insertion shielding external glove-like pockets, and which upon bending upon itself with the pockets on the resultant exterior constitutes a pair of generally inherently resilient and self-reinforcing manual shielding bilateral shovel tongs of structural and mechanical integrity and stability for the stated purpose; and a unitary precursor blank for making the same.