Laser-zone Growth in a Ribbon-to-ribbon (RTR) Process Silicon Sheet Growth Development for the Large Area Silicon Sheet Task of the Low Cost Solar Array Project

A technique for growing limited-length ribbons continually was demonstrated. This Rigid Edge technique can be used to recrystallize about 95% of the polyribbon feedstock. A major advantage of this method is that only a single, constant length silicon ribbon is handled throughout the entire process sequence; this may be accomplished using cassettes similar to those presently in use for processing Czochralski waters. Thus a transition from Cz to ribbon technology can be smoothly affected. The maximum size being considered, 3 inches x 24 inches, is half a square foot, and will generate 6 watts for 12% efficiency at 1 sun. Silicon dioxide has been demonstrated as an effective, practical diffusion barrier for use during the polyribbon formation

Laser-zone growth in a Ribbon-To-Ribbon (RTR) process, silicon sheet growth development for the large area silicon sheet task of the low cost silicon solar array project

The objective of this research is to fully investigate the Ribbon-To-Ribbon (R-T-R) approach to silicon ribbon growth. Initial work has concentrated on modification and characterization of an existing R-T-R apparatus. In addition, equipment for auxiliary heating of the melt is being evaluated and acquired. Modification of the remote viewing system and mechanical staging are nearly complete. Characterization of the laser and other components is in progress and several auxiliary heating techniques are being investigated

Laser-zone growth in a Ribbon-To-Ribbon (RTR) process. Silicon sheet growth development for the large area silicon sheet task of the low cost silicon solar array project

The Ribbon-to-Ribbon (RTR) approach to silicon ribbon growth is investigated. An existing RTR apparatus is to be upgraded to its full capabilities and operated routinely to investigate and optimize the effects of various growth parameters on growth results. A new RTR apparatus was constructed to incorporate increased capabilities and improvements over the first apparatus and to be capable of continuous growth. New high power lasers were implemented and this led to major improvements in growth velocity -- 4 inch/min. growth has been demonstrated. A major step in demonstration of the full feasibility of the RTR process is reported in the demonstration of RTR growth from CVD polyribbon rather than sliced polyribbon ingots. Average solar cell efficiencies of greater than 9% and a best cell efficiency of 11.7% are reported. Processing was shown to provide a substantial improvement in material minority carrier diffusion length. An economic analysis is reported which treats both the polyribbon fabrication and RTR processes

Laser-zone growth in a Ribbon-To-Ribbon (RTR) process. Silicon sheet growth development for the large area sheet task of the low-cost solar array project

A new calculation of the effects of thermal stresses during growth on silicon ribbon quality is reported. Thermal stress distributions are computed for ribbon growth under a variety of temperature profiles. A growth rate of 55 cu cm/min with a single ribbon was achieved. The growth of RTR ribbon with a fairly uniform parallel dendritic structure was demonstrated. Results with two approaches were obtained for reducing the Mo impurity level in polycrystalline feedstock. Coating the Mo substrate with Si3N4 does not effect thermal shear separation of the polyribbon; this process shows promise of improving cell efficiency and also increasing the useful life of the molybdenum substrate. A number of solar cells were fabricated on RTR silicon grown from CVD feedstock

VLTI/MIDI 10 micron interferometry of the forming massive star W33A

We report on resolved interferometric observations with VLTI/MIDI of the massive young stellar object (MYSO) W33A. The MIDI observations deliver spectrally dispersed visibilities with values between 0.03 and 0.06, for a baseline of 45m over the wavelength range 8-13 micron. The visibilities indicate that W33A has a FWHM size of approximately 120AU (0.030'') at 8 micron which increases to 240AU at 13 micron, scales previously unexplored among MYSOs. This observed trend is consistent with the temperature falling off with distance. 1D dust radiative transfer models are simultaneously fit to the visibility spectrum, the strong silicate feature and the shape of the mid infrared spectral energy distribution (SED). For any powerlaw density distribution, we find that the sizes (as implied by the visibilities) and the stellar luminosity are incompatible. A reduction to a third of W33A's previously adopted luminosity is required to match the visibilities; such a reduction is consistent with new high resolution 70 micron data from Spitzer's MIPSGAL survey. We obtain best fits for models with shallow dust density distributions of r^(-0.5) and r^(-1.0) and for increased optical depth in the silicate feature produced by decreasing the ISM ratio of graphite to silicates and using optical grain properties by Ossenkopf et al. (1992).Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for ApJ letter

Spin-dependent Bohm trajectories associated with an electronic transition in hydrogen

The Bohm causal theory of quantum mechanics with spin-dependence is used to determine electron trajectories when a hydrogen atom is subjected to (semi-classical) radiation. The transition between the 1s ground state and the 2p0 state is examined. It is found that transitions can be identified along Bohm trajectories. The trajectories lie on invariant hyperboloid surfaces of revolution in R^3. The energy along the trajectories is also discussed in relation to the hydrogen energy eigenvalues.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figure

Perceptually tuned generation of grayscale fonts

A new approach to grayscale font generation improves on the fuzzy characters produced by existing methods by incorporating the expertise of type designers into rules for character-outline weight and phase control. The method we propose for synthesizing high-contrast grayscale characters relies on the set of visual rules that type designers have derived from their many years of manual design. We call our grayscaling method `perceptually tuned font generation', because it is based on human perception-that of both the designer and the reade

Implications of Lorentz covariance for the guidance equation in two-slit quantum interference

It is known that Lorentz covariance fixes uniquely the current and the associated guidance law in the trajectory interpretation of quantum mechanics for spin particles. In the non-relativistic domain this implies a guidance law for the electron which differs by an additional spin-dependent term from that originally proposed by de Broglie and Bohm. In this paper we explore some of the implications of the modified guidance law. We bring out a property of mutual dependence in the particle coordinates that arises in product states, and show that the quantum potential has scalar and vector components which implies the particle is subject to a Lorentz-like force. The conditions for the classical limit and the limit of negligible spin are given, and the empirical sufficiency of the model is demonstrated. We then present a series of calculations of the trajectories based on two-dimensional Gaussian wave packets which illustrate how the additional spin-dependent term plays a significant role in structuring both the individual trajectories and the ensemble. The single packet corresponds to quantum inertial motion. The distinct features encountered when the wavefunction is a product or a superposition are explored, and the trajectories that model the two-slit experiment are given. The latter paths exhibit several new characteristics compared with the original de Broglie-Bohm ones, such as crossing of the axis of symmetry.Comment: 27 pages including 6 pages of figure

Laser-zone growth in a ribbon-to-ribbon (RTR) process silicon sheet growth development for the large area silicon sheet task of the low cost silicon solar array project. Technical quarterly report no. 8, April 1--June 30, 1978

Further progress in growth rate has been made, reaching an area throughput rate of 38 cm/sup 2//min. This growth rate was achieved, using CVD feedstock, both with a 7.6 cm wide ribbon grown at 5 cm/min and a 5 cm wide ribbon grown at 7.6 cm/min. The 5 cm wide ribbon exhibited a dendritic structure; although the ribbon showed a tendency to buckle in the non-dendritic region, it was perfectly flat once the dendrites were firmly established. The 7.6 cm wide ribbon was non-dendritic, and had severe buckling. A new design for an improved furnace for RTR growth has been completed. The semi-continuous polysilicon CVD ribbon reactor has been designed and is being assembled and tested. A study of the microstructure of dendrites growing in RTR ribbon has shown that they contain a small, usually even, number of parallel twins. Electrical activity of defects in RTR ribbon has been studied by fabricating an array of photodiodes on the ribbon, and using an SEM in the electron beam induced current (EBIC) mode. The first solar cell on RTR ribbon grown from CVD feedstock was fabricated. The overall efficiency was 6.7%, with I/sub SC/ = 24 mA/cm/sup 2/, V/sub OC/ = 0.53 volts, fill factor = 0.53. Total cell area was 2.5 cm/sup 2/. The Mo impurity level was measured in a few CVD samples by Neutron Activation analysis. This analysis indicated a Mo level of 5 to 10 ppM in the bulk of the silicon ribbon

Adaptive Optics Imaging of IRAS 18276-1431: a bipolar pre-planetary nebula with circumstellar "searchlight beams" and "arcs"

We present high-angular resolution images of the post-AGB nebula IRAS18276-1431 (also known as OH17.7-2.0) obtained with the Keck II Adaptive Optics (AO) system in its Natural Guide Star (NGS) mode in the Kp, Lp, and Ms near-infrared bands. We also present supporting optical F606W and F814W HST images as well as interferometric observations of the 12CO(J=1-0), 13CO(J=1-0), and 2.6mm continuum emission with OVRO. The envelope of IRAS18276-1431 displays a clear bipolar morphology in our optical and NIR images with two lobes separated by a dark waist and surrounded by a faint 4.5"x3.4" halo. Our Kp-band image reveals two pairs of radial ``searchlight beams'' emerging from the nebula center and several intersecting, arc-like features. From our CO data we derive a mass of M>0.38[D/3kpc]^2 Msun and an expansion velocity v_exp=17km/s for the molecular envelope. The density in the halo follows a radial power-law proportional to r^-3, which is consistent with a mass-loss rate increasing with time. Analysis of the NIR colors indicates the presence of a compact central source of ~300-500K dust illuminating the nebula in addition to the central star. Modeling of the thermal IR suggests a two-shell structure in the dust envelope: 1) an outer shell with inner and outer radius R_in~1.6E16cm and R_out>~1.25E17cm, dust temperature T_d~105-50K, and a mean mass-loss rate of Mdot~1E-3Msun/yr; and 2) an inner shell with R_in~6.3E14cm, T_dust~500-105K, and Mdot~3E-5Msun/yr. An additional population of big dust grains (radius a>~0.4mm) with T_dust=150-20K and mass M_dust=(0.16-1.6)E-3 [D/3kpc]^2 Msun can account for the observed sub-mm and mm flux excess. The mass of the envelope enclosed within R_out=1.25E17cm derived from SED modeling is ~1[D/3kpc]^2 Msun.Comment: 46 pages, 14 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication in ApJ. Figures 12 & 13 in low resolution. Full resolution versions are available upon request to the first autho