Ut-battelle, Inc.

Ronald D Ott

Craig A Blue

Chad Edward Duty

David C Harper

Lonnie J Love

Nancy Johnston Dudney

Ilia N Ivanov

Claus Daniel

Tommy Joe Phelps

Michael Z Hu

April D McMillan

Ji-Won Moon

Gerald Earle Jellison, Jr

Ashok Choudhury

Chad M Parish

Susan L Murray

Andre R Klein

Charlee J C Bennett

Quanqin Dai

Steven Walker

Art Clemens

John D Rivard

Christopher S Murray

A method for producing a film, the method comprising melting a layer of precursor particles on a substrate until at least a portion of the melted particles are planarized and merged to produce the film. The invention is also directed to a method for producing a photovoltaic film, the method comprising depositing particles having a photovoltaic or other property onto a substrate, and affixing the particles to the substrate, wherein the particles may or may not be subsequently melted. Also described herein are films produced by these methods, methods for producing a patterned film on a substrate, and methods for producing a multilayer structure.

Methods for producing complex films, and films produced thereby

Disclosed are configurations of long-range ordered features of solar cell materials, and methods for forming same. Some features include electrical access openings through a backing layer to a photovoltaic material in the solar cell. Some features include textured features disposed adjacent a surface of a solar cell material. Typically the long-range ordered features are formed by ablating the solar cell material with a laser interference pattern from at least two laser beams.

High throughput parallel backside contacting and periodic texturing for high-efficiency solar cells

A thin film solar cell and a method fabricating thin film solar cells on flexible substrates. The method includes including providing a flexible polymeric substrate, depositing a photovoltaic precursor on a surface of the substrate, such as CdTe, ZrTe, CdZnTe, CdSe or Cu(In,Ga)Se, and exposing the photovoltaic precursor to at least one 0.5 microsecond to 10 second pulse of predominately infrared light emitted from a light source having a power output of about 20,000 W/cmor less to thermally convert the precursor into a crystalline photovoltaic material having a photovoltaic efficiency of greater than one percent, the conversion being carried out without substantial damage to the substrate.

High volume method of making low-cost, lightweight solar materials

A method of thermally processing a material includes exposing the material to at least one pulse of infrared light emitted from a directed plasma arc to thermally process the material, the pulse having a duration of no more than 10 s.

Pulse thermal processing of functional materials using directed plasma arc

A temperature regulator includes at least one electrically conductive carbon foam element. The foam element includes at least two locations adapted for receiving electrical connectors thereto for heating a fluid, such as engine oil. A combustion engine includes an engine block and at least one carbon foam element, the foam element extending into the engine block or disposed in thermal contact with at least one engine fluid.

Carbon or graphite foam as a heating element and system thereof

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Knoxville, TN, United States of America

Ronald D Ott