Abstract: A flexible substrate material having opposed front and back sides and extending in an X-Y plane, the front side being provided with a first electrode layer and further provided with at least one thin film to form at least one thin film device stack; the thin film device stack extending from the X-Y plane in a Z direction perpendicular to the X-Y plane to a distance T; the substrate material having at least one protective structure applied to at least one of the substrate material sides, the first electrode layer and the at least one thin film; the at least one protective structure extending in the Z direction to a distance S from the X-Y plane, the distance S being greater than the distance T.

Abstract: A flexible, thin film electronic device comprising a module cut from a web provided with one or more cells along substantially the whole of its length wherein the cells comprise a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer and one or more active layers provided between the electrode layers characterised in that the module includes one or more edge portions wherein an edge of the first electrode layer and an edge of the second electrode layer are each substantially coincident with an edge of the web.

Abstract: A flexible, thin film electronic device comprising a module cut from a web provided with one or more cells along substantially the whole of its length wherein the cells comprise a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer and one or more active layers provided between the electrode layers characterised in that the module includes one or more edge portions wherein an edge of the first electrode layer and an edge of the second electrode layer are each substantially coincident with an edge of the web.

Abstract: An apparatus for patterning an article that comprises a first layer of a first material. The apparatus includes a thread, at least one thread guide for guiding the thread such that at least a portion of the thread engages with the article, a unit for moving the thread relative to the at least one thread guide means, and a unit for applying a solvent to the thread before the thread contacts the article, wherein the first material is soluble in the solvent.

Abstract: A flexible substrate material having opposed front and back sides and extending in an X-Y plane, the front side being provided with a first electrode layer and further provided with at least one thin film to form at least one thin film device stack; the thin film device stack extending from the X-Y plane in a Z direction perpendicular to the X-Y plane to a distance T; the substrate material having at least one protective structure applied to at least one of the substrate material sides, the first electrode layer and the at least one thin film; the at least one protective structure extending in the Z direction to a distance S from the X-Y plane, the distance S being greater than the distance T.

Abstract: Primary packaging (403) is disclosed comprising an encapsulated volume or enclosure (402), and a solar cell (401) having a transparent electrode (406), the solar cell (401) being provided on a surface of the encapsulated volume or enclosure (402) with the transparent electrode (406) facing towards the encapsulated volume or enclosure. The packaging enables the distribution of solar cells, improves the collection of packaging for recycling and/or reduces the carbon footprint of consumer products by utilising packaging which comprises one or more solar cells. The main purpose is for the solar cells to be used in ways other than interacting with the package or the package contents directly.

Abstract: An apparatus for patterning an article that comprises a first layer of a first material. The apparatus includes a thread, at least one thread guide for guiding the thread such that at least a portion of the thread engages with the article, a unit for moving the thread relative to the at least one thread guide means, and a unit for applying a solvent to the thread before the thread contacts the article, wherein the first material is soluble in the solvent.

Abstract: A method for patterning an article, the article comprising a first layer of a first material, the method comprising providing a thread carrying a first species, e.g. a solvent in which the first material is soluble, and contacting the thread with the first layer to remove at least part of the first layer.

Abstract: A method for patterning an article, the article comprising a first layer of a first material, a first major surface of the first layer being in intimate contact with some or all of a first major surface of a second layer of a second different material the method comprising providing a first thread carrying a first species to remove at least a portion of the first layer, and providing a second thread aligned with and adjacent the first thread and contacting the first and second threads with the first layer to remove at least part of the first layer.

Abstract: A method for patterning an article, the article comprising a first layer of a first material, a first major surface of the first layer being in intimate contact with some or all of a first major surface of a second layer of a second different material the method comprising providing a first thread carrying a first species to remove at least a portion of the first layer, and providing a second thread aligned with and adjacent the first thread and contacting the first and second threads with the first layer to remove at least part of the first layer.

Abstract: A method for patterning an article, the article comprising a first layer of a first material, the method comprising providing a thread carrying a first species, e.g. a solvent in which the first material is soluble, and contacting the thread with the first layer to remove at least part of the first layer.

Abstract: An organic photovoltaic cell (100) having a pair of electrodes (113,114) and a photoactive layer (112) comprising a photoactive material, and means (111) to control and/or regulate the operating temperature of the cell (100).

Abstract: Disclosed is a solar cell having at least one photovoltaic layer made of an organic material, in particular a polymer material, which absorbs light and in which electron-hole pairs can be produced, said solar cell having two opposite layer surfaces of which one is connected with at least one hole-receiving layer produced inside said photovoltaic layer and the other is connected with at least one electron-receiving layer produced inside said photovoltaic layer, as well as having electrode areas En and Ep, of which one said electrode area is electrically contacted to said hole-receiving layer and the other said electrode area is electrically connected to said electron receiving layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the structured coating of substrates from liquid phase and also to a device for the structured coating. Furthermore, the invention includes the use of the method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel method for producing microhole structures. According to said method, the material used to produce said microhole structures is applied to a substrate surface provided with a relief structure, by means of an angular coating process. In order to achieve the desired pattern of holes, the relief structure has a continuous network of first surface elements and second surface elements located thereinbetween, the local surface normal vectors of the first surface elements forming a small angle with the unit vector, and the local surface normal vectors of the second surface elements forming a small angle with the direction vector of the coating.

Abstract: Disclosed is a solar cell having at least one photovoltaic layer (A) made of an organic material, in particular a polymer material, which absorbs light and in which electron-hole pairs can be produced, said solar cell having two opposite layer surfaces of which one is connected with at least one hole-receiving layer (p) produced inside said photovoltaic layer (A) and the other is connected with at least one electron-receiving layer (n) produced inside said photovoltaic layer (A), as well as having electrode areas En and Ep, of which one said electrode area (Ep) is electrically contacted to said hole-receiving layer (p) and the other said electrode area (En) is electrically connected to said electron receiving layer (n).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for producing a coupling grating (5) for a waveguide. The method relies on the technique of interference lithography, whereby an interference pattern on a light-sensitive layer (2) is exposed by superimposing two coherent light beams (3, 4) on said light-sensitive layer (2). Said pattern is then transferred onto the surface of the substrate (1) that lies underneath by subsequent developing and an etching process. The method is characterized in that it uses a shadow mask (6) that is mounted at minimum clearance relative to the surface of the light-sensitive layer (2). By observing said minimum clearance, the Fresnel diffraction images of both light beams (3, 4) are separated on the edge(7).