Corning Incorporated

International Business Machines Corporation

Other

Eastman-kodak Company

John Albert Olenick

Timothy Joseph Curry

Thomas Dale Ketcham

Michael Edward Badding

Dell Joseph St Julien

Jacqueline Leslie Brown

Lanrik Wayne Kester

William Joseph Bouton

Nathan Michael Zink

Roman E Hurny

Kathleen Ritter Olenick

Jeremy Paananen

Thomas Silverblatt

Viswanathan Venkateswaran

Teodor Krassimirov Todorov

Robert A Bourdelaise

Paul A Vichot

Barbara A Sayers

Eli A Richards

Barry E Grabow

Samuel F Wilderson

A method of manufacturing ceramic tape includes a step of directing a tape of partially-sintered ceramic into a furnace. The tape is partially-sintered such that grains of the ceramic are fused to one another yet the tape still includes at least 10% porosity by volume, where the porosity refers to volume of the tape unoccupied by the ceramic. The method further includes steps of conveying the tape through the furnace and further sintering the tape as the tape is conveyed through the furnace. The porosity of the tape decreases during the further sintering step.

Manufacturing line, process, and sintered article

Method of manufacturing ceramic tape

A waveguide includes a body of material having a width, a thickness, and a length, where the width is orthogonal to the thickness, and the length is orthogonal to the thickness and the width. The material includes polycrystalline ceramic that is transmissive such that the body is configured as a waveguide. The thickness is no more than 5 millimeters and at least 20 nanometers, the width is greater than or equal to the thickness, and the length is at least 100 times greater than the width. The body of material has a granular profile such that grains of the material protrude generally outward from a surface of the body with a height of at least 25 nanometers and no more than 100 micrometers relative to recessed portions of the surface of the body at boundaries between the grains.

Polycrystalline waveguide

A manufacturing line includes a tape of green material that is directed through a furnace so that the furnace burns off organic binder material and then partially sinters the tape without the use of a setter board. Sintered articles resulting from the manufacturing line may be thin with relatively large surface areas; and, while substantially unpolished, have few sintering-induced surface defects. Tension may be applied to the partially sintered tape as it passes through a second furnace on the manufacturing line to shape resulting sintered articles.

Kesterite-based photovoltaic devices formed on flexible ceramic substrates are provided. In one aspect, a method of forming a photovoltaic device includes the steps of: forming a back contact on a flexible ceramic substrate; forming a kesterite absorber layer on a side of the back contact opposite the flexible ceramic substrate; annealing the kesterite absorber layer; forming a buffer layer on a side of the kesterite absorber layer opposite the back contact; and forming a transparent front contact on a side of the buffer layer opposite the kesterite absorber layer. A roll-to-roll-based method of forming a photovoltaic device and a photovoltaic device are also provided.

Flexible kesterite photovoltaic device on ceramic substrate

A high-temperature seal having in-situ integrity monitoring capability includes a quantity of dielectric material sealing an interface between adjacent structures and an electrical transmission line embedded within the dielectric material. A signal injection port is provided for exciting the transmission line with an excitation signal. One or more sample ports are provided for sampling the transmission line to obtain signal samples resulting from the excitation signal. The sample port(s) are adapted for connection to a signal analyzer adapted to analyze the signal samples for indications of seal integrity problems. Using a technique such as time domain reflectometry or frequency response analysis, the transmission line can be monitored for changes in characteristic impedance due to changes in seal dielectric constant and/or disruption of the transmission line. Such evaluation provides useful information for making determinations about seal integrity in a manner that permits safe seal operation and minimization of resultant stress modes.

In-situ seal integrity monitoring

A carrying case (either a soft case or a hard case) is taught that includes a section or compartment for receiving a personal digital assistant device that allows for access to the controls in view of the display without removing the device from the carrying case when the case is opened. Additionally, the carrying case is provided with a second compartment independent of the section or compartment for receiving the personal digital assistant device. The second compartment is adapted to receive an ancillary device such that when a user desires to use the ancillary device, the user removes the ancillary device from its compartment and also removes the personal digital assistant from its compartment and interconnects the two to allow for operation of the ancillary device. However, when the user desires to use the personal digital assistant alone, it is only necessary to open the carrying case and operate the personal digital assistant without having to remove it from the carrying case. Means are therefore provided for retaining the personal digital assistant in the carrying case when the carrying case is opened.

Carrying case for personal digital assistant device and ancillary electronic device

Growing community of inventors

Buffalo, NY, United States of America

John Albert Olenick