Rca Inc.

USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

David L Staebler

William Phillips

Brown F Williams

William J Burke

Peter J Zanzucchi

George R Latham, Jr

Amorphous silicon solar cells have been shown to have efficiencies which degrade as a result of long exposure to light. Annealing such cells in air at a temperature of about 200.degree. C. for at least 30 minutes restores their efficiency.

Method of restoring degraded solar cells

Switch means having a predetermined number of switch positions normally applies any selected one of the same predetermined number of separate control signals to a galvanometer in accordance with the switch position to which the switch means is operated. However, in response to each operation of the switch means between switch positions, a reference signal is applied to the galvanometer for a given time. This overcomes the degrading effect of hysteresis on galvanometer accuracy.

Variable signal generator for galvanometer exhibiting hysteresis

A method of inducing differential etch rates in glow discharge produced amorphous silicon by heating a portion of the glow discharge produced amorphous silicon to a temperature of about 365.degree. C. higher than the deposition temperature prior to etching. The etch rate of the exposed amorphous silicon is less than the unheated amorphous silicon.

Method of inducing differential etch rates in glow discharge produced

A laser beam apparatus and method for analyzing, inter alia, the current versus voltage curve at the point of illumination on a solar cell and the open circuit voltage of a solar cell. The apparatus incorporates a lock-in amplifier, and a laser beam light chopper which permits the measurement of the AC current of the solar cell at an applied DC voltage at the position on the solar cell where the cell is illuminated and a feedback scheme which permits the direct scanning measurements of the open circuit voltage. The accuracy of the measurement is a function of the intensity and wavelength of the laser light with respect to the intensity and wavelength distribution of sunlight and the percentage the dark current is at the open circuit voltage to the short circuit current of the solar cell.

Laser beam apparatus and method for analyzing solar cells

Amorphous silicon layers deposited on a suitable substrate in a glow discharge of silane or other silicon containing compounds are sensitive optical storage media.

Updateable optical storage medium

Single crystal electro-optic material useful for recording phase holograms comprises lithium niobate or lithium tantalate doped with iron and silicon.

Crystals for recording phase holograms

A solid cylindrical recording medium is axially rotatable within a cavity in a transparent block, the medium and the cavity being complementary in shape. The medium and the block have substantially equal indexes of refraction whereby the medium does not refract light transmitted thereto through the block. Transmitted to the medium (through the block) is an object beam, representative of an image, and a reference beam, whereby the medium is exposed and a volume hologram of the image is recorded. A multiplicity of volume holograms of images may be recorded by rotating the medium with respect to the reference beam after each of a multiplicity of exposures.

Recording assembly for volume holography

Photochromic lithium niobate crystals containing iron and either manganese or copper are useful for recording phase holograms in the photosensitive state of the crystals, which holograms can be permanently fixed and read out without loss in the quality of the image obtained therefrom over extended periods.

Growing community of inventors

Lawrenceville, NJ, United States of America

David L Staebler