Detection of radio-frequency modulated optical signals by two and three terminal microwave devices

An interdigitated photoconductor (two terminal device) on GaAlAs/GaAs heterostructure was fabricated and tested by an electro-optical sampling technique. Further, the photoresponse of GaAlAs/GaAs HEMT (three terminal device) was obtained by illuminating the device with an optical signal modulated up to 8 GHz. Gain-bandwidth product, response time, and noise properties of photoconductor and HEMT devices were obtained. Monolithic integration of these photodetectors with GaAs microwave devices for optically controlled phased array antenna applications is discussed

Manufacturing of High-Efficiency Bi-Facial Tandem Concentrator Solar Cells: February 20, 2009--August 20, 2010

Spire Semiconductor made concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) cells using a new bi-facial growth process and met both main program goals: a) 42.5% efficiency 500X (AM1.5D, 25C, 100mW/cm2); and b) Ready to supply at least 3MW/year of such cells at end of program. We explored a unique simple fabrication process to make a N/P 3-junction InGaP/GaAs/InGaAs tandem cells . First, the InGaAs bottom cell is grown on the back of a GaAs wafer. The wafers are then loaded into a cassette, spin-rinsed to remove particles, dipped in dilute NH4OH and spin-dried. The wafers are then removed from the cassette loaded the reactor for GaAs middle and InGaP top cell growth on the opposite wafer face (bi-facial growth). By making the epitaxial growth process a bit more complex, we are able to avoid more complex processing (such as large area wafer bonding or epitaxial liftoff) used in the inverted metamorphic (IMM) approach to make similar tandem stacks. We believe the yield is improved compared to an IMM process. After bi-facial epigrowth, standard III-V cell steps (back metal, photolithography for front grid, cap etch, AR coat, dice) are used in the remainder of the process

InGaAs concentrator cells for laser power converters and tandem cells

In(0.53)Ga(0.47)As N-on-P concentrator cells were made as part of an effort to develop 1.315 micron laser power converters. The 1.315 micron laser power conversion efficiency was estimated as 29.4 percent (at 5.57 W/cm(sup 2)) based on an 86 percent measured external quantum efficiency at 1.315 microns, and a measured open circuit voltage (484 mV), and fill-factor (67 percent) at the equivalent AM0 short-circuit photocurrent (5.07 A/cm(sup 2)). A 13.5 percent percent AMO efficiency was achieved at 89 suns and 25 C. Measured one-sun and 100-sun AMO efficiency, log I-V analysis, and quantum efficiency are presented for InGaAs cells with and without InP windows to passivate the front surface. Windowed cells performed better at concentration than windowless cells. Lattice mismatch between InGaAs epilayers and InP substrate was less than 800 ppm. Theoretical efficiency is estimated for 1.315 microns laser power converters versus the bandgap energy. Adding aluminum to InGaAs to form In(x)Al(y)Ga(1-x-y)As is presented as a way to achieve an optimal bandgap for 1.315 microns laser power conversion

A CAT with caveats: is the Consensual Assessment Technique a reliable measure of graphic design creativity?

The Consensual Assessment Technique (CAT) is considered one of the gold standards for creativity assessment, and graphic design, arguably, is the most ubiquitous domain within the creative industries. For the first time, this study tests two tasks to measure graphic design creativity, and by extension, the reliability of the CAT as a measure of graphic design creativity. Initial research suggested the level of consensus amongst judges (often referred to as inter-rater reliability) was too low to be reliable, and may be unduly influenced by a judge’s preference for technical execution. In this study, 16 professional graphic designers were randomly assigned instructions to discount technical execution from creativity ratings, or given instruction that gave no stipulation, for 60 artworks. Inter-rater reliability scores were acceptable for each task and experimental condition, but were higher for judges that received instructions to discount technical execution. These and other results are discussed, and the argument presented that, for future CAT studies in this domain, specific instructions to discount technical execution offers a more reliable measure of graphic design creativity

Performance analysis of AlGaAs/GaAs tunnel junctions for ultra-high concentration photovoltaics

An n(++)-GaAs/p(++)-AlGaAs tunnel junction with a peak current density of 10 100Acm(-2) is developed. This device is a tunnel junction for multijunction solar cells, grown lattice-matched on standard GaAs or Ge substrates, with the highest peak current density ever reported. The voltage drop for a current density equivalent to the operation of the multijunction solar cell up to 10 000 suns is below 5 mV. Trap-assisted tunnelling is proposed to be behind this performance, which cannot be justified by simple band-to-band tunnelling. The metal-organic vapour-phase epitaxy growth conditions, which are in the limits of the transport-limited regime, and the heavy tellurium doping levels are the proposed origins of the defects enabling trap-assisted tunnelling. The hypothesis of trap-assisted tunnelling is supported by the observed annealing behaviour of the tunnel junctions, which cannot be explained in terms of dopant diffusion or passivation. For the integration of these tunnel junctions into a triple-junction solar cell, AlGaAs barrier layers are introduced to suppress the formation of parasitic junctions, but this is found to significantly degrade the performance of the tunnel junctions. However, the annealed tunnel junctions with barrier layers still exhibit a peak current density higher than 2500Acm(-2) and a voltage drop at 10 000 suns of around 20 mV, which are excellent properties for tunnel junctions and mean they can serve as low-loss interconnections in multijunction solar cells working at ultra-high concentrations

Current status of low-temperature radiator thermophotovoltaic devices

The current performance status of low-temperature radiator (< 1,000 C) thermophotovoltaic (TPV) devices is presented. For low-temperature radiators, both power density and efficiency are equally important in designing an effective TPV system. Comparisons of 1 cm x 1 cm, 0.55 eV InGaAs and InGaAsSb voltaic devices are presented. Currently, InGaAs lattice-mismatched devices offer superior performance in comparison to InGaAsSb lattice-matched devices, due to the former`s long-term development for numerous optoelectronic applications. However, lattice-matched antimony-based quaternaries offer numerous potential advantages

High density photovoltaic

Photovoltaic technology can directly generate high voltages in a solid state material through the series interconnect of many photovoltaic diodes. We are investigating the feasibility of developing an electrically isolated, high-voltage power supply using miniature photovoltaic devices that convert optical energy to electrical energy

Performance status of 0.55 eV InGaAs thermophotovoltaic cells

Data on {approximately} 0.55 eV In{sub 0.72}Ga{sub 0.28}As cells with an average open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 298 mV (standard deviation 7 mV) at an average short-circuit current density of 1.16 A/cm{sup 2} (sdev. 0.1 A/cm{sup 2}) and an average fill-factor of 61.6% (sdev. 2.8%) is reported. The absorption coefficient of In{sub 0.72}Ga{sub 0.28}As was measured by a differential transmission technique. The authors use a numerical integration of the absorption data to determine the radiative recombination coefficient for In{sub 0.72}Ga{sub 0.28}As. Using this absorption data and simple one-dimensional analytical formula the above cells are modeled. The models show that the cells may be limited more by Auger recombination rather than Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) recombination at dislocation centers caused by the 1.3% lattice mismatch of the cell to the host InP wafer

Performance status of 0.55eV InGaAs thermophotovoltaic cells

Data on {approximately} 0.55 eV In{sub 0.72}Ga{sub 0.28}As cells with an average open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 298 mV (standard deviation 7 mV) at an average short-circuit current density of 1.16 A/cm{sup 2} (sdev. 0.1 A/cm{sup 2}) and an average fill-factor of 61.6% (sdev. 2.8%) is reported. The absorption coefficient of In{sub 0.72}Ga{sub 0.28}As was measured by a differential transmission technique. The authors use a numerical integration of the absorption data to determine the radiative recombination coefficient for In{sub 0.72}Ga{sub 0.28}As. Using this absorption data and simple one-dimensional analytical formula the above cells are modeled. The models show that the cells may be limited more by Auger recombination rather than Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) recombination at dislocation centers caused by the 1.3% lattice mismatch of the cell to the host InP wafer

Endometrial expression of relaxin and relaxin receptor in endometriosis

7sireservedOur studies demonstrate significantly lower expression of relaxin and its receptor in ectopic endometriotic tissues than their expression in eutopic endometrium and in endometrium from normal controls. These data suggest that in normal and eutopic endometrium, relaxin may exert a protective effect against endometriosis. Copyright © 2010 American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Published by Elsevier Inc.mixedMORELLI, S.S.; PETRAGLIA, F.; WEISS, G.; LUISI, S.; FLORIO, P.; WOJTCZUK, A.; GOLDSMITH, L.T.Morelli, S. S.; Petraglia, F.; Weiss, G.; Luisi, S.; Florio, P.; Wojtczuk, A.; Goldsmith, L. T