In this work we study the optical and electrical behavior of ZnO:Ga, ITO and IZO films deposited on glass after sustaining different hydrogen plasma conditions and exposure times. This work was complemented by analyzing the surface morphology of the set of films, which allow us to determine the role of hydrogen plasma on the film's properties such as Hall mobility, free carrier concentration, sheet resistance, optical transmittance, figure of merit and state of the surface. Apart from that, the performances of solar cells using an intrinsic layer constituted by nanocrystalline silicon will be also presented. The data show that the electrical properties of solar cells were improved by using ZnO:Ga as front contact, allowing a high current density collection and single pin solar cells with efficiencies exceeding 11%. © 2005 Materials Research Society.

The aim of this work is to present data concerning the optimization of performances of a large area amorphous silicon p-i-n solar cell (30×40 cm2) deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) at 27.12 MHz. In this work the solar cell was split into small areas of 0.126 cm2, aiming to study the device performance uniformity, where emphasis was put on the role of the n-layer thickness. The solar cells were studied through the spectral response behaviour in the 400-750 nm range as well as by the behaviour of the AC impedance. Solar cells with fill factor of 0.58, open circuit voltage of 0.83 V, short circuit current density of 17.14 mA/cm2 and an efficiency of 8% were obtained at growth rates higher than 0.3 nm/s. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The aim of this paper is to present results concerning the role of the buffer layer on pin devices, deposited in a single chamber for plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, using high hydrogen dilution and pressures at 27.12 MHz. By doing so, we allow the incorporation of nanoparticles into the i-layer, during plasma process. The results show solar cells with 8.8% efficiency with a collection efficiency of 95% in the blue region of the spectra. Apart from that, the results from impedance spectroscopy, imaginary impedance vs. real impedance, show difference of a semicircle radius as function of sample temperatures, which could be explained by total device series resistance variation. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

This work deals with the study of the role of the buffer layers thickness on the TCO/p-a-SiC:H/buffer1/buffer2/i(nc-Si/a-Si:H)/n-a- Si:H/Al solar cell I-V and impedance performances. The aim was to improve the p/i interface region, which has a large influence on the solar cell characteristics and stability. In order to match the difference between the p and i layers optical gaps, the buffer layers were deposited using, for each layer, different methane to silane mixtures, aiming to obtain a gradual match of the corresponding optical gaps. The intrinsic layer was deposited at high hydrogen dilution rates at 27.12 MHz in conditions that allowed the incorporation of nanoparticles/nanoclusters. Solar cells with fill factor of 0.63; open circuit voltage of 0.93 Volts; short circuit current density of 16.13 mA/cm2 and an efficiency of 9.4% were produced with buffer layers around 1.3 nm thick. When comparing these solar cells with conventional amorphous silicon solar cells we notice that the quantum efficiency from ultraviolet to green regions is improved up to 13%, in average. Concerning solar cell capacitance, the data show that the best solar cells exhibit the highest capacitance, meaning that the films are compact and dense, in-line with the other electrical characteristics obtained. ©2005 IEEE.

During the last decades titanium alloys were found to be valuable engineering materials for many different applications. Formerly used in critical applications like aerospace, aeronautic and military equipment, where the factor cost is not relevant, titanium alloys are finding now new and different markets. However, the development of such new markets will depend on an effective cost reduction of titanium parts, in order to achieve a selling cost suitable with its application in consumer goods. A possible solution to decrease production costs might be the use of traditional casting techniques to produce near net shape functional parts. During the last years, the authors have developed extensive research work on this field, and a new technique both for melting and moulding, using ceramic multi-layered crucibles and investment casting shells was developed. This paper presents some of the results obtained during that research work: Ti-48Al alloy were melted and cooled inside CaO, MgO and Y O stabilized ZrO crucibles with inside layer of Y O . The chemical composition, hardness and microstructure at the metal-crucible interface, studied by secondary ion mass spectrometry, SEM/EDS and XRS are presented. On a second step, the same alloy was melted on the same crucibles, and poured into graphite moulds, and the crucibles wall was characterized by SEM/EDS and XRS.

The phase behaviour of the binary mixture of carbon dioxide and the cobalt complex dicarbonyl(eta(5)-cyclopentadienyl)-cobalt, CPCo(CO)(2), has been investigated. This organometallic compound is one of the most effective catalysts of cyclotrimerization reactions of arylisocyanates and alkynes. Vapour-liquid equilibrium (VLE) measurements were undertaken in a static analytical apparatus at 313.15, 323.15 and 363.15 K at pressures up to 15 MPa. p, T isopleths were measured by a synthetic method in a Cailletet apparatus. Nine different compositions ranging from 17.56 to 94.23 mol% of CO2 were measured up to 15 MPa. Modelling with the Peng-Robinson equation of state (PR EOS) gave reasonable results in the correlation of the experimental phase equilibrium compositions using two temperature-dependent interaction parameters. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.