Abstract: A method for depositing a coating onto a solid substrate for the fabrication of a functional layer in a solar cell device wherein the functional layer is used as an anti-reflection layer, an active layer for photon absorption and charge generation, a buffer layer, a window layer, or an electrode layer.

Abstract: A photonic crystal material and a method for producing such a material according to a predetermined, two-dimensional or three-dimensional porous template.

Abstract: A system for synthesizing a nano-scaled powder material, including several sub-systems: (A) a chamber for containing nano-scaled cluster generating devices from a material selected from the group consisting of a metal, a metal compound, and a ceramic; (B) a twin-wire electrode device disposed within this chamber with this electrode device including: (i) two wires made up of this material, each having a leading tip and each being continuously or intermittently fed into the chamber in such a fashion that the two leading tips are maintained at a desired separation; and (ii) power supply for providing electric current and gas supply for providing a working gas flow for creating an ionized arc between the two leading tips for melting and/or vaporizing the material to generate nano-scaled clusters; (C) devices for injecting a quench gas and/or a reaction gas into a quenching/reaction zone inside the chamber at a point downstream from the arc to produce nano-scaled powder particles; and (D) devices such as a cyclone

Abstract: A porous carbon-based electrode and a method for producing such an electrode according to a predetermined, two-dimensional or three-dimensional porous template. The method includes the steps of: (A) preparing a porous template by taking the sub-steps of (i) dissolving a first material in a volatile solvent to form an evaporative solution, (ii) depositing a thin film or lamina of this solution onto a substrate, and (iii) exposing this solution film to a moisture environment while allowing the solvent of the solution to evaporate for forming the template, which is a lamina constituted of an ordered array of micrometer- or nanometer-scaled air bubbles being surrounded with walls made of the first material; and (B) operating material treatment means to convert the first material into a carbonaceous material by which meso-scaled pores are also produced in the bubble walls.

Abstract: A method for producing compound semiconductor quantum particles from at least a metallic element selected from Groups IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IVA, and VA of the Periodic Table and at least a non-oxygen reactant element selected from the group consisting of P, As, S, Se, and Te.

Abstract: A method and system for producing a transparent, electrically conductive coating onto a substrate. The method includes: (a) operating a twin-wire arc nozzle to heat and at least partially vaporize two wires of a metal composition for providing a stream of nanometer-sized vapor clusters of the metal composition into a chamber in which the substrate is disposed; (b) introducing a stream of oxygen-containing gas into the chamber to impinge upon the stream of metal vapor clusters and exothermically react therewith to produce substantially nanometer-sized metal oxide clusters; and (c) directing the metal oxide clusters to deposit onto the substrate for forming the coating.

Abstract: A method for synthesizing a nano-scaled powder material, including: (A) providing a chamber for receiving nano-scaled clusters generated from an electrically conductive starting material selected from the group consisting of a metal, a metal alloy, a metal compound, and a ceramic; (B) operating a twin-wire arc nozzle, with two wires and a working gas flow, to form an arc between two converging leading tips of the two wires to heat and at least partially vaporize the starting material at the leading tips for providing a stream of nanometer-sized vapor clusters of the starting material; (C) injecting a quench gas and/or a reaction gas into a quenching/reaction zone at a point inside the arc or downstream from the arc to facilitate the formation of nano-scaled clusters in a vapor, liquid or high temperature solid state; and (D) operating a cooling device to cool the clusters into a nano-scaled solid powder and a powder classifier/separator device to collect the resulting nano-scaled solid powder material.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for producing a transparent, electrically conductive coating onto a substrate. The process includes: (a) operating heating and atomizing devices to provide a stream of super-heated fine-sized metal liquid droplets into a coating chamber in which the substrate is disposed; (b) introducing a stream of oxygen-containing gas into this chamber to impinge upon the stream of super-heated metal liquid droplets and exothermically react therewith to produce substantially nanometer-sized metal oxide clusters; and (c) directing the metal oxide clusters to deposit and form a coating onto the substrate.

Abstract: A direct-write method for depositing a polarized material of a predetermined computer-aided pattern onto a target surface, the method including the following steps: (1) forming a solution of a material capable of being polarized using a polarization solvent which can be removed by evaporation to provide a polarized material; (2) operating dispensing devices to dispense and deposit the solution onto the target surface substantially point by point and at least partially removing the solvent from the deposited solution to form a thin layer of substantially solidified material of the predetermined pattern; and (3) during the solvent-removing step, operating a high DC voltage for poling the deposited solution to achieve polarization in the material. The invention also provides a freeform fabrication method for building a multi-layer device, such as a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS), that exhibits piezoelectric or pyroelectric properties.

Abstract: A method for stereoscopically displaying radiographic images of the internal structure of an object and determining the spatial coordinates of a selected feature image inside the object, including the steps of (a) producing a pair of left and right radiographic images on the same object at slightly different angles, (b) using image display means to present the two images, (c) using two distinct optical paths with two reference lines to permit viewing of the left image by the left eye and the right image by the right eye of an observer independently and simultaneously, and (d) performing and measuring horizontal shifting motions of the two images and obtaining the coordinates (X.sub.GA,Y.sub.GA,Z.sub.GA) of an internal feature A with respect to a marker G according to a specified procedure. The procedure begins with aligning the image points of the marker G with their respective reference lines. Preferably, the same procedure is followed again for a second marker.

Abstract: Apparatus for stereoscopically displaying radiographic images of the internal structure of an object and determining the spatial coordinates of a defect image inside the object, comprising: (a) two image display devices; (b) a secondary platform to support one of the two display devices with this platform being provided with horizontal movement means along with displacement sensor means; (c) a primary platform to support both image display devices; the primary platform being provided with movement means to horizontally slide both image display devices concurrently and the movement means being equipped with displacement-measuring means; (d) a sturdy base to support both platforms; (e) two reference lines being transversely aligned across and over the images; and (f) an observing assembly comprising two distinct and separate optical paths with each optical path being composed of properly arranged mirrors and lenses to direct the desired image into the respective observing eye.