Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

First Solar, Inc.

Coulter International Corp.

Gary L Dorer

Valdis Mikelsons

Harold A McMaster

Ricky Charles Powell

Marshall Donnie Graham

Steven M Cox

Robert D Kuehn

Nicholas Alan Reiter

Terence D Kahle

Harold A Mcmaster

Environmentally stable amorphous silicon photoreceptor and method for making same

A new photoreceptor is provided which comprises a conductive substrate and a photoconductive layer of 5 micra or less in thickness on the substrate. The photoreceptor has a dark decay greater than 20 seconds and contains less than 5% total hydrogen. The substrate is selected from the group consisting of alloys of aluminum, chromium, iron, molybdenum, nickel or tungsten. In addition, the substrate can be a nonconductive material, such as plastic, provided with an electrically conductive layer. A new method for making the improved photoreceptor comprises providing a conductive substrate and forming a photoconductive layer of 5 micra or less in thickness on said substrate by depositing an amorphous material containing silicon and hydrogen atoms wherein said substrate has a negative potential between &minus;40 and &minus;100 volts during the forming of said layer.

Amorphous silicon photoreceptor and method for making same

Apparatus (12, 12a) and a method for depositing a semiconductor material on a glass sheet substrate (G) utilizes a distributor (22) including a heated permeable member (24) through which a carrier gas and a semiconductor material are passed to provide a vapor that is deposited as a semiconductor layer on the conveyed glass sheet substrate. The permeable member (24) is tubular and has an electrical voltage applied along its length to provide the heating, and the carrier gas and the semiconductor as a powder are introduced into the tubular permeable member for flow outwardly therefrom as the vapor. A shroud (34) extending around the tubular permeable member (24) has an opening (36) through which the vapor flows for the semiconductor layer deposition. In one embodiment of apparatus (12), the semiconductor layer is deposited on an upwardly facing surface (56) of the glass sheet substrate (G) while another embodiment of the apparatus (12a) deposits the semiconductor layer on a downwardly facing surface (54) of the substrate.

Apparatus and method for depositing a semiconductor material

Apparatus (12, 12a) and a method for depositing a material on a substrate (G) utilizes a distributor (22) including a heated permeable member (24) through which a carrier gas and a material are passed to provide a vapor that is deposited on a conveyed substrate. The permeable member (24) is tubular and has an electrical voltage applied along its length to provide the heating, and the carrier gas and the material as a powder are introduced into the tubular permeable member for flow outwardly therefrom as the vapor. A shroud (34) extending around the tubular permeable member (24) has an opening (36) through which the vapor flows for the deposition. In one embodiment of apparatus (12), the vapor is deposited on an upwardly facing surface (56) of the substrate, while another embodiment of the apparatus (12a) deposits the vapor on a downwardly facing surface (54) of the substrate.

Apparatus and method for depositing a material on a substrate

A substantially radiation absorbing layer of metal having a microstructured surface characterized by a plurality of randomly positioned discrete protuberances of varying heights and shapes, which protuberances have a height of not less than 20 nanometers nor more than 1500 nm, and the bases of which contact the bases of substantially all adjacent protuberances is disclosed. The metal layer, which may be a coating on a variety of substrates, is useful as a radiation absorber (particularly solar). A method is disclosed for producing such layers.

Radiation absorbing surfaces

A process for forming single layer coatings that render a surface more light transmitting and less light reflecting without an attendant increase in diffuse scattering, which includes the steps of depositing a thin metal film on the surface and totally converting the thin metallic film to either an oxide and/or hydroxide microstructured layer by chemical or a combination of chemical and electrochemical methods. Uniform optical properties are exhibited over large angles of incidence and an extremely broad range of wavelengths.

Process for forming a microstructured transmission and reflectance

Single layer coatings that render a surface more light transmitting and less light reflecting without an attendant increase in diffuse scattering are produced by depositing a thin metal film on the surface, totally converting the thin metallic film to either an oxide and/or hydroxide microstructured layer by chemical or a combination of chemical and electrochemical methods. Uniform optical properties are exhibited over large angles of incidence and an extremely broad range of wavelengths.

Microstructured transmission and reflectance modifying coating

A photoconductive element consisting essentially of an electrically conductive substrate, a barrier layer of aluminum hydroxyoxide crystallites on said substrate and a continuous photoconductive layer over said barrier layer.

Growing community of inventors

Taunton, MA, United States of America

Gary L Dorer