Abstract:
Thin semiconductor foils can be formed using light reactive deposition. These foils can have an average thickness of less than 100 microns. In some embodiments, the semiconductor foils can have a large surface area, such as greater than about 900 square centimeters. The foil can be free standing or releasably held on one surface. The semiconductor foil can comprise elemental silicon, elemental germanium, silicon carbide, doped forms thereof, alloys thereof or mixtures thereof. The foils can be formed using a release layer that can release the foil after its deposition. The foils can be patterned, cut and processed in other ways for the formation of devices. Suitable devices that can be formed form the foils include, for example, photovoltaic modules and display control circuits.
Abstract:
Laser pyrolysis apparatuses can provide for the engineering of product inorganic particles in-flight through the use of jet inlets that introduce a composition, such as an inert gas or a surface modifying composition, at high velocity. Under strong mixing conditions, the inorganic particle flow can be manipulated while also reducing particle agglomeration. These strong mixing apparatuses have been found to be effective at forming high quality crystals with structures that inherently grow relatively slowly through the slowing of the quenching process to maintain the crystal development until a desired high degree of crystallinity is achieved. Also, the surface chemistry of the particles can be manipulated in the flow to engineer desired inorganic particle surface chemistry.
Abstract:
Light reactive deposition uses an intense light beam to form particles that are directly coated onto a substrate surface. In some embodiments, a coating apparatus comprising a noncircular reactant inlet, optical elements forming a light path, a first substrate, and a motor connected to the apparatus. The reactant inlet defines a reactant stream path. The light path intersects the reactant stream path at a reaction zone with a product stream path continuing from the reaction zone. The substrate intersects the product stream path. Also, operation of the motor moves the first substrate relative to the product stream. Various broad methods are described for using light driven chemical reactions to produce efficiently highly uniform coatings.
Abstract:
Nanoscale particles, particle coatings/particle arrays and corresponding consolidated materials are described based on an ability to vary the composition involving a wide range of metal and/or metalloid elements and corresponding compositions. In particular, metalloid oxides and metal-metalloid compositions are described in the form of improved nanoscale particles and coatings formed from the nanoscale particles. Compositions comprising rare earth metals and dopants/additives with rare earth metals are described. Complex compositions with a range of host compositions and dopants/additives can be formed using the approaches described herein. The particle coating can take the form of particle arrays that range from collections of disbursable primary particles to fused networks of primary particles forming channels that reflect the nanoscale of the primary particles. Suitable materials for optical applications are described along with some optical devices of interest.
Abstract:
Collections of composite particles comprise inorganic particles and another composition, such as a polymer and/or a coating composition. In some embodiments, the composite particles have small average particle sizes, such as no more than about 10 microns or no more than about 2.5 microns. The composite particles can have selected particle architectures. The inorganic particles can have compositions selected for particular properties. The composite particles can be effective for printing applications, for the formation of optical coatings, and other desirable applications.
Abstract:
Thin semiconductor foils can be formed using light reactive deposition. These foils can have an average thickness of less than 100 microns. In some embodiments, the semiconductor foils can have a large surface area, such as greater than about 900 square centimeters. The foil can be free standing or releasably held on one surface. The semiconductor foil can comprise elemental silicon, elemental germanium, silicon carbide, doped forms thereof, alloys thereof or mixtures thereof. The foils can be formed using a release layer that can release the foil after its deposition. The foils can be patterned, cut and processed in other ways for the formation of devices. Suitable devices that can be formed form the foils include, for example, photovoltaic modules and display control circuits.
Abstract:
Light reactive deposition can be adapted effectively for the deposition of one or more electrochemical cell components. In particular, electrodes, electrolytes, electrical interconnects c be deposited from a reactive flow. In some embodiments, the reactive flow comprises a reactant stream that intersects a light beam to drive a reaction within a light reactive zone to produce product that is deposited on a substrate (422). The approach is extremely versatile for the production of a range of compositions that are useful in electrochemical cells and fuel cell, in particular. The properties of the materials, including the density and porosity can be adjusted based on the deposition properties and any subsequent processing including, for example, heat treatments.
Abstract:
Light reactive deposition can be adapted effectively for the deposition of one or more electrochemical cell components. In particular, electrodes, electrolytes, electrical interconnects can be deposited form a reactive flow. In some embodiments, the reactive flow comprises a reactant stream that intersects a light beam to drive a reaction within a light reactive zone to produce product that is deposited on a substrate. The approach is extremely versatile for the production of a range of compositions that are useful in electrochemical cells and fuel cell, in particular. The properties of the materials, including the density and porosity can be adjusted based on the deposition properties and any subsequent processing including, for example, heat treatments.
Abstract:
Light reactive deposition uses an intense light beam (684) to form particles that are directly coated onto a substrate (680) surface. In some embodiments, a coating apparatus comprising a noncircular reactant inlet (682), optical elements forming a light path (684), a first substrate (680), and a motor connected to the apparatus. The reactant inlet (682) defines a reaction zone with a product stream path continuing from the reaction zone. The substrate (680) intersects the product stream path. Also, operation of the motor moves the first substrate (680) relative to the product stream. Various broad methods are described for using light driven chemical reactions to produce efficiently highly uniform coatings.