Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Richard B Stephens

Harry William Deckman

Benjamin Abeles

J Thomas Tiedje

A high surface area substrate with controlled pore size and slot geometry is made by depositing at least two materials in alternating layers. The film is then broken up and one of the materials is etched away to produce a slotted surface structure. These slots can add size and shape selectively to separations and catalytic processes which because of the uniform and controllable dimensions (&gt;5A) would be superior to that obtainable from zeolites and clays.

Micro-porous superlattice material having zeolite-like properties

A solar cell module is provided in which a plurality of solar cells are linearly arrayed on a support structure, preferably in a close packed configuration. Adjacent the linearly arrayed cells is a lengthwise land area having facets with light reflective surfaces, the grooves defined by the facets running the length of the linearly arrayed cells. A light transparent optical medium couples the facets and the solar cells. Importantly the facet surfaces are angularly disposed at a predetermined angle such that solar radiation incident on the facet surface will be reflected upwardly into the optical medium where it will be internally reflected downwardly onto a solar cell thereby enhancing the output of the module.

Solar cell module

Apparatus for optical switching which uses a fluid medium whose refractive index is matched to that of a highly dispersed optical scattering layer to provide optical transparency of said scatterer when immersed in the fluid media and optical reflection in the absence thereof. The fluid optical switch is embodied in a solar energy collector to provide overtemperature protection to collector components and further to provide a convenient means for turning off the collector during periods of nonuse.

Fluid optical switch for a solar collector

Low reflectivity surfaces are formed by particle track etching of a dielectric material such that the horizontal scale of surface texture is less than the wavelength of incident radiation and the depth of texture is equal to or greater than said wavelength. As a consequence, the reflection coefficient is thereby reduced by a factor of at least two, and light is more efficiently transmitted into the material. For solar cells encapsulated in transparent material, efficiency of absorption of solar radiation may be improved by at least about two times per etched surface, or to less than about 2% for the air/transparent material interface and to less than about 15% for the transparent material/solar cell interface.

Low reflectivity surface formed by particle track etching

An optical switching device for reflecting incident light at or above a predetermined temperature comprises a layer of a metal sulfate salt solution in thermal contact with a source of heat. The solution is characterized as having decreasing salt solubility with increasing temperature. When the heat source exceeds a predetermined temperature, the solution precipitates a light scattering layer, substantially reflecting incident light. Embodied in a solar panel, the present invention provides automatic over-temperature control, reflecting light from the energy converter whenever panel temperature exceeds a predetermined limit.

Temperature responsive optical switch

An optical recording medium is disclosed which comprises a reflecting material, the surface of which is characterized by cavities of average depth D and of average spacing S such that for incident radiation of wavelength .lambda., S is less than about .lambda./20 and D is either greater than .lambda./6 or less than .lambda./6 and is capable of being altered to either less than or greater than .lambda./6, respectively. In the practice of the invention, the heat from a high intensity energy source, such as a laser operating in the ultraviolet, optical or near-infrared region or a beam of electrons, softens the reflective material at the surface and, depending on the sign of the surface energy, either increases or decreases D, thus lowering or raising the reflectivity of the surface, respectively.

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New Providence, NJ, United States of America

Richard B Stephens