Maskless fabrication of quasi-omnidirectional V-groove solar cells using an alkaline solution-based method

Silicon passivated emitter and rear contact(PERC) solar cells with V-groove texture were fabricated using maskless alkaline solution etching with in-house developed additive. Compared with the traditional pyramid texture, the V-groove texture possesses superior effective minority carrier lifetime, enhanced p–n junction quality and better applied filling factor(FF). In addition, a V-groove texture can greatly reduce the shading area and edge damage of front Ag electrodes when the V-groove direction is parallel to the gridline electrodes. Due to these factors, the V-groove solar cells have a higher efficiency(21.78%) than pyramid solar cells(21.62%). Interestingly, external quantum efficiency(EQE) and reflectance of the V-groove solar cells exhibit a slight decrease when the incident light angle(θ) is increased from 0° to 75°, which confirms the excellent quasi omnidirectionality of the V-groove solar cells. The proposed V-groove solar cell design shows a 2.84% relative enhancement of energy output over traditional pyramid solar cells.

A Preliminary Study on the Effect Evaluation of Electroacupuncture Combined with Balloon Dilation in the Treatment of Dysphagia after Cerebral Infarction

Objective: Dysphagia is a frequent symptom caused by cerebral infarction. This study investigated the effect evaluation and safety of electroacupuncture combined with balloon dilatation on dysphagia after cerebral infarction. Methods: Totally 100 patients with dysphagia after cerebral infarction were enrolled as study subjects and assigned into the control group (treated with balloon dilatation) and the observation group (treated with electroacupuncture and balloon dilatation), with 50 cases in each group. The general data of participants were recorded. Before or after treatment, swallowing function was assessed by water swallow test, standardized swallowing function assessment (SSA), videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS), and functional oral intake scale (FOIS). The cerebral hemodynamics, serological indicators, neurological impairment, quality of life (QOL) score were analyzed. Additionally, the occurrence of complications and adverse reactions after treatment was assessed. Results: There was no significant difference in gender, age, BMI, course of disease, and grade of dysphagia between the two groups. Balloon dilatation alone and electroacupuncture combined with balloon dilatation decreased the water swallow test, SSA, and VFSS scores, increased FOIS score, and improved the swallowing function, cerebral hemodynamic parameters, serological indicators, neurological function and QOL, with the better efficacy in the combined therapy. Moreover, combined therapy had lower incidences of complications and adverse reactions than balloon dilatation therapy alone. Conclusion: Electroacupuncture intervention combined with balloon dilatation therapy ameliorates swallowing function, cerebral hemodynamics, serological indicators, neurological function and QOL, and reduces complications and adverse reactions in dysphagia after cerebral infarction.

Temperature dependence of pattern transitions on water surface in contact with DC microplasmas

The DC-driven atmospheric-pressure microplasma is generated in a helium gas flowing through the metal tube cathode and is brought into contact with the surface of the water with the immersed Pt anode.By adjusting the gas flow,discharge current and gap distance,self-organized patterns are observed and varied sequentially from the homogeneous spot to the ring-like shape,distinct spot shape and the gearwheel shape on the water surface.The electrode temperature is measured and the gas temperature of the plasma discharge is calculated through the numericalfitting of the second positive system of the spectrum of N2 molecules.It is shown that the pattern transition is related to the electrode and gas temperatures of the plasma.Moreover,specific discretization features of the patterns are shown to appear at certain gas temperatures.