Abstract: The present invention discloses a fire resistant laminate and incorporating the laminate into an encapsulant for a photovoltaic module that may be used in a photovoltaic building material. More particularly, the present invention relates to fire resistant encapsulant that may be used in a triple junction amorphous silicon photovoltaic module that is fire resistant on a wide variety of buildings roofs, including residential housing, and that is flexible and lightweight. A fire resistant additive, such as solid glass spheres, may be added to encapsulant material to produce a fire resistant, cut resistant, lightweight photovoltaic device.

Abstract: A method of executing a software routine in a virtual machine executing on a computer system, wherein the computer system can operate in one of a virtual machine execution context or a native execution context, the method comprising the steps of: identifying a declaration of the software routine, the declaration including an indication that the software routine is to be executed in a native binary form; responsive to a determination that the declaration of the software routine includes an indication that the software routine should be called directly by the virtual machine, the computer system operating in a virtual machine execution context and the virtual machine calling the software routine directly; executing the software routine in a native binary form.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of replacing code in an object oriented application program running on a Virtual Machine (VM). The method comprises the steps of receiving at the virtual machine a request to replace code; in response to receipt of said request, examining each thread's call stack to determine if any thread includes a method that will be made obsolete by a proposed code replacement; and, if it is determined that there are no threads that include such a method in their call stacks, performing the code replacement. However, for a thread whose call stack is determined to include a method that will be made obsolete by the proposed code replacement, the method includes the step of allowing the thread to continue running until the thread unwinds past that method in its call stack and then suspending said thread. This comprises a part of a process of determining a safe state for code replacement. The invention is also directed to a method of initializing new variables in such replacement code.

Abstract: A non-contacting capacitive diagnostic device includes a pulsed light source for producing an electric field in a semiconductor or photovoltaic device or material to be evaluated and a circuit responsive to the electric field. The circuit is not in physical contact with the device or material being evaluated and produces an electrical signal characteristic of the electric field produced in the device or material. The diagnostic device permits quality control and evaluation of semiconductor or photovoltaic device properties in continuous manufacturing processes.

Abstract: A non-contacting capacitive diagnostic device includes a pulsed light source for producing an electric field in a semiconductor or photovoltaic device or material to be evaluated and a circuit responsive to the electric field. The circuit is not in physical contact with the device or material being evaluated and produces an electrical signal characteristic of the electric field produced in the device or material. The diagnostic device permits quality control and evaluation of semiconductor or photovoltaic device properties in continuous manufacturing processes.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for the vacuum deposition of at least two different layers of thin film material onto a substrate by two different vacuum deposition processes. Also disclosed is a novel linear applicator for using microwave enhanced CVD to uniformly deposit a thin film of material over an elongated substrate.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for the vacuum deposition of at least two different layers of thin film material onto a substrate by two different vacuum deposition processes. Also disclosed is a novel linear applicator for using microwave enhanced CVD to uniformly deposit a thin film of material over an elongated substrate.