Abstract: A novel electrochemical hydrogen compressor material technology system comprising a composite polymer membrane made from a blend of inorganic and organic polymers, the preparation and the use thereof.

Abstract: A composite proton-conducting membrane comprising an inorganic polymer whose pores are filled with an organic polymer, wherein both the inorganic polymer and the organic polymer are proton conductors and wherein said composite proton-conducting membrane can operate in the absence of solvents, such as water.

Abstract: A phosphor excitable by X-ray and blue-light emits light in the near-infrared (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nanometers) forms nanoparticles less than 200 nanometers diameter. The nanoparticles are tagged by coating with silica, then conjugating with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and tissue-selective compounds such as antibodies, nucleic acid chains, and other ligands. In embodiments, we administer the tagged nanoparticles to a subject, then localize the nanoparticles, and thus antigen-bearing tissues, by irradiating the subject with X-ray or other radiation beams while imaging near infrared light emitted from the subject. The nanoparticles are made by mixing 1-50 micron calcium oxide and germanium oxide powders with dilute nitric acid, adding chromium (III) nitrate at a ratio to germanium between 0.001 and 0.1, adding tartaric acid solution with molar ratio to metal ions between 1-10, and adjusting pH to 0.1-4 with nitric acid, then later heating to form a sol, oven drying, and calcinating the sol.

Abstract: A selectively-absorbing material includes a silicone polymer and transition-metal oxide nanoparticles dispersed therein. Each of the transition-metal oxide nanoparticles includes manganese. A solar receiver includes (i) a metal substrate including an etched surface having a microroughness between 0.05 micrometers and two micrometers; (ii) a polymer matrix disposed on the etched surface; and (iii) transition-metal oxide nanoparticles dispersed within the polymer matrix. A method for producing transition-metal oxide nanoparticles includes recrystallizing a plurality of two-element nanoparticles at a temperature between 300 and 700° C. The plurality of two-element nanoparticles includes at least two of (i) copper oxide nanoparticles, (ii) manganese oxide nanoparticles, and (iii) iron oxide nanoparticles.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack comprising one or more high temperature membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) and a bipolar plate comprising a liquid cooling chamber and gas flow channels; then use thereof, and the preparation thereof. The invention also encompasses an electrical generating system.

Abstract: An optical interconnect system has first and second waveguides each with wedge-shaped cross-section at a first end, disposed over an optical modulator. The optical modulator is a surface-plasmon multi quantum well (SP-MQW) modulator, the first waveguide an input waveguide and the second waveguide configured an output waveguide. In embodiments the SP-MQW modulator has multiple semiconductor layers disposed atop a lower metal layer between 10 and 300 nanometers thick and configured such that incident light is reflected at the lower metal layer unless a voltage is applied to the semiconductor layers, when incident light is coupled into a surface plasmon mode in the lower metal layer.

Abstract: Disclosed are infrared (IR) light detectors. The detectors operate by generating hot electrons in a metallic absorber layer on photon absorption, the electrons being transported through an energy barrier of an insulating layer to a metal or semiconductor conductive layer. The energy barrier is set to bar response to wavelengths longer than a maximum wavelength. Particular embodiments also have a pattern of metallic shapes above the metallic absorber layer that act to increase photon absorption while reflecting photons of short wavelengths; these particular embodiments have a band-pass response.

Abstract: An optical interconnect system has first and second waveguides each with wedge-shaped cross-section at a first end, disposed over an optical modulator. The optical modulator is a surface-plasmon multi quantum well (SP-MQW) modulator, the first waveguide an input waveguide and the second waveguide configured an output waveguide. In embodiments the SP-MQW modulator has multiple semiconductor layers disposed atop a lower metal layer between 10 and 300 nanometers thick and configured such that incident light is reflected at the lower metal layer unless a voltage is applied to the semiconductor layers, when incident light is coupled into a surface plasmon mode in the lower metal layer.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a semiconductor-based photon-counting sensor comprising a metal-insulator-semiconductor internal photoemission (e.g., thermionic-emission) detector formed on and/or in a first surface of a semiconductor substrate, and at least one jot formed on and/or in a second side of a semiconductor substrate. The at least one MIS photoemission detector and the at least one jot are configured such that a photocarrier generated in response to a photon incident on the MIS thermionic-emission detector is readout by the at least one jot.

Abstract: A device and a method of sensing characteristics of a food material and a machine and a method of brewing coffee. The device comprises: a wave source (20) configured for emitting waves to said food material (22), with the wavelength range of said waves comprising a selected near infrared band neighboring a visible band; a detector (26), configured for detecting intensities of the waves reflected by said food material; and an analysis module (28), configured for determining said characteristics according to the detected intensity of the reflected waves. Preferably, the food material comprises coffee powder, and the characteristics comprise at least any one of: color of the coffee powder (corresponding to the roasting degree of coffee powder); and grind fineness of the coffee powder.

Abstract: A method of providing an indication as to the amount of milk remaining in a breast during lactation based on a determined fat content of milk that has been expressed from said breast is disclosed. The method of determining said fat content comprises measuring an optical characteristic of milk following expression and by comparing said measured optical characteristic with data representing a corresponding optical characteristic of a sample of milk having a known fat content to determine the fat content of said expressed milk which is indicative of the amount of milk remaining in the breast.

Abstract: An electronic information collection method and apparatus are applied to a terminal. According to the method, a social networking application installed in the terminal is described, and at least one electronic information identifier of electronic information is collected from each system platform. The social networking application provides a unified electronic information interface compatible with different third-party system platforms. According to the method, electronic information corresponding to each electronic information identifier is acquired by using the electronic information interface; the acquired electronic information is saved to generate a unified collection; and the electronic information is then forwarded to another party according to a received instruction.

Abstract: A method for forming single crystal or large-crystal-grain thin-film layers deposits a thin-film amorphous, nanocrystalline, microcrystalline, or polycrystalline layer, and laser-heats a seed spot having size on the order of a critical nucleation size of the thin-film layer. The single-crystal seed spot is extended into a single-crystal seed line by laser-heating one or more crystallization zones adjacent to the seed spot and drawing the zone across the thin-film layer. The single-crystal seed line is extended across the thin-film material layer into a single-crystal layer by laser-heating an adjacent linear crystallization zone and drawing the crystallization zone across the thin-film layer. Photovoltaic cells may be formed in or on the single-crystal layer. Tandem photovoltaic devices may be formed using one or several iterations of the method. The method may also be used to form single-crystal semiconductor thin-film transistors, such as for display devices, or to form single-crystal superconductor layers.

Abstract: A device and a method of sensing characteristics of a food material and a machine and a method of brewing coffee. The device comprises: a wave source (20) configured for emitting waves to said food material (22), with the wavelength range of said waves comprising a selected near infrared band neighboring a visible band; a detector (26), configured for detecting intensities of the waves reflected by said food material; and an analysis module (28), configured for determining said characteristics according to the detected intensity of the reflected waves. Preferably, the food material comprises coffee powder, and the characteristics comprise at least any one of: color of the coffee powder (corresponding to the roasting degree of coffee powder); and grind fineness of the coffee powder.

Abstract: Methods are discussed for producing single-crystal shapes on amorphous materials. A first method deposits a layer of Germanium-Tin (GeSn) alloy comprising between three and sixteen atomic-percent tin on material incapable of seeding crystal formation, the layer is photolithographically defined into a shape having a point having radius less than 100 nanometers; and the shape is annealed by heating to a temperature below 450 degrees Celsius. A second method also photolithographically defines a shape on a layer of GeSn, then uses a laser to heat and crystalize seed spot on the shape; and anneals the shape by heating and thereby crystalizing additional GeSn alloy of the shape. In embodiments, the crystalized GeSn serves to seed InGaP and/or InGaAs layers that may serve together with the GeSn as layers of a tandem photovoltaic cell.

Abstract: A method of providing an indication as to the amount of milk remaining in a breast during lactation based on a determined fat content of milk that has been expressed from said breast is disclosed. The method of determining said fat content comprises measuring an optical characteristic of milk following expression and by comparing said measured optical characteristic with data representing a corresponding optical characteristic of a sample of milk having a known fat content to determine the fat content of said expressed milk which is indicative of the amount of milk remaining in the breast.

Abstract: Solution-processed Ni nanochain-SiOx (x<2) and Ni nanochain-SiO2 selective solar thermal absorbers that exhibit a strong anti-oxidation behavior up to 600° C. in air. The thermal stability is far superior to Ni nanoparticle-Al2O3 selective solar thermal absorbers. The SiOx (x<2) and SiO2 matrices are derived from hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) precursors, respectively. We find that both the excess Si and the stoichiometric SiO2 matrix contribute to antioxidation behavior. Methods of making the selective solar thermal absorbers are described.

Abstract: A method for forming single crystal or large-crystal-grain thin-film layers deposits a thin-film amorphous, nanocrystalline, microcrystalline, or polycrystalline layer, and laser-heats a seed spot having size on the order of a critical nucleation size of the thin-film layer. The single-crystal seed spot is extended into a single-crystal seed line by laser-heating one or more crystallization zones adjacent to the seed spot and drawing the zone across the thin-film layer. The single-crystal seed line is extended across the thin-film material layer into a single-crystal layer by laser-heating an adjacent linear crystallization zone and drawing the crystallization zone across the thin-film layer. Photovoltaic cells may be formed in or on the single-crystal layer. Tandem photovoltaic devices may be formed using one or several iterations of the method. The method may also be used to form single-crystal semiconductor thin-film transistors, such as for display devices, or to form single-crystal superconductor layers.