Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

Imec

Alex Masolin

Johan Driesen

Maria Jesus Recaman Payo

Urmimala Chatterjee

Frédéric Dross

Circuits and methods for increasing the voltage gain range of a DC-DC power converter include: two multiplier stages, each comprising two capacitors, each capacitor respectively connected to a diode, which are adapted to charge the capacitors with a voltage; at least two switching devices arranged to interchangeably operate between the at least two multiplier stages, or arranged to selectively connect the at least two multiplier stages in series in a first mode of operation and to at least partly bypass one of the at least two multiplier stages in a second mode of operation, thereby increasing the voltage gain range of the DC-DC power converter.

Methods and devices for increasing the voltage gain range of a DC-DC power converter

A method for fabricating thin crystalline photovoltaic cells is disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes: forming a weakening layer in a surface portion of a semiconductor substrate; epitaxially growing a stack of semiconductor layers on the substrate for forming an active layer of the photovoltaic cell, the stack having a first thermal coefficient of expansion; providing on the stack patterned contact layer for forming electrical contacts of the photovoltaic cell, the patterned contact layer having a second thermal coefficient of expansion different from the first thermal coefficient of expansion. The process of providing a patterned contact layer simultaneously induces a tensile stress in the weakening layer, resulting in a lift-off from the substrate of a structure including the stack of semiconductor layers and the patterned contact layer.

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Udine, Italy

Alex Masolin