Preparation of Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 thin films by sequential evaporation and annealing in sulfur atmosphere

Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)₂ thin films with high Ga/III ratio (around 0.8) were prepared by sequential evaporation from CuGaSe₂, CuInSe₂, In₂Se₃ and Ga₂Se₃ compounds and then annealing in H₂S gas atmosphere. The annealing temperature was varied from 400 to 500 °C. These samples were characterized by means of XRF, EPMA, XRD and SEM. The S/(S+Se) mole ratio in the thin films increased with increase in the annealing temperature, keeping the Cu, In and Ga contents nearly constant. The open circuit voltage increased and the short circuit current density decreased with increase in the annealing temperature. The best solar cell using Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)₂ thin film with Ga/(In+Ga)=0.79 and S/(S+Se)=0.11 annealed at 400 °C demonstrated V_oc=535 mV, I_sc=13.3 mA/cm², FF=0.61 and efficiency=4.34% without AR-coating.     

Effects of Age and Mating on Female Sex Attractant Pheromone Levels in the Sorghum Plant Bug, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stenotus rubrovittatus</Emphasis> (Matsumura)

Previous work has shown that male sorghum plant bugs, Stenotus rubrovittatus (Matsumura) (Heteroptera: Miridae), are more attracted to young virgin females than to old virgin females and are not attracted to mated females. Therefore, we examined the effects of age and mating status on female sex pheromone levels. The pheromone components, hexyl butyrate, (E)-hex-2-en-1-yl butyrate, and (E)-4-oxohex-2-enal, were collected from females in two different ways. First, the compounds were extracted from whole bodies of each female and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Pheromone levels extracted from virgin female bodies decreased with age. In females that had just mated, pheromone levels did not differ from those of virgin females, and pheromone levels in mated females remained relatively constant up to 15 d after mating. This absence of change in pheromone levels extracted from whole bodies of mated females is not congruent with previous reports of lack of male attraction to these females. In a second method for pheromone recovery (adsorption on a PDMS-coated stir bar), GC-MS analysis showed that mated females released lower amounts of pheromone components compared to those emitted by virgin females of the same age (4 d). As was the case with whole body extracts, young virgin females (3 d) released higher amounts of pheromone components than did old virgin females (8 d). The results suggest that male response in S. rubrovittatus is dictated more by the quantities of pheromone components released into the volatile headspace by females than by the quantities present in the body.     

Spider Mites Assess Predation Risk by Using the Odor of Injured Conspecifics

When a predatory mite, Amblyseius womersleyi is present, Tetranychus kanzawai takes refuge on its webs during a quiescent stage. To examine the factors responsible for the antipredator behavior of T. kanzawai, we exposed T. kanzawai to the odor of conspecifics, A. womersleyi, and both T. kanzawai and A. womersleyi. The proportion of T. kanzawai females that took refuge was significantly higher when they were exposed to the odor of `both T. kanzawai and A. womersleyi.' Furthermore, the proportion of T. kanzawai females that took refuge was significantly higher when they were exposed to injured conspecifics than to intact conspecifics. These results suggest that T. kanzawai assesses predation risk, at least in part, by using the odor of injured conspecifics.     

Formation and characterization of copper tetrakis (4-cumylphenoxy) phthalocyanine:perylene solar cells

Perylene-based bulk heterojunction solar cells with copper tetrakis (4-cumylphenoxy) phthalocyanine (Tc-CuPc) and heterojunction solar cells with copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) were produced and characterized. A device based on CuPc and perylene provided better efficiency, fill factor, short-circuit current and open-circuit voltage compared to those of a device based on Tc-CuPc and perylene. The Tc-CuPc:perylene structure was examined by transmission electron microscopy, which indicated mixtured microstructure. Energy levels of the molecules were calculated and discussed.     

Harmonic compensation using a synchronous machine with resonantfield circuits

This paper deals with a harmonic compensation method using a synchronous machine with resonant field circuits. Harmonics have become one of the major problems in power systems and a lot of methods of harmonic suppression have been studied. The authors have proposed a new method of harmonic suppression using a synchronous machine excited with the 6th harmonic current. This paper shows that armature inductances for the 5th or 7th harmonics decrease when the field circuits are connected to capacitors resonating at the 6th harmonic. The variations of armature impedances are explained theoretically by Park's equations. The optimal capacitances are selected so as to resonate with field inductances for the short-circuited armature. The experiments to suppress the 5th and 7th harmonics using the synchronous machine are successful     

Wide bandwidth of over 50 GHz travelling-wave electrodeelectroabsorption modulator integrated DFB lasers

A travelling-wave electrode electroabsorption modulator integrated distributed feedback laser to overcome the CR-induced bandwidth limitation is developed. A bandwidth much wider than 50 GHz is achieved. A 40 Gbit/s eye-diagram is observed. The device has a potentiality for future 100 Gbit/s transmission     

An asymmetric Y-branching circuit using total reflectionfor semiconductor integrated optical circuits

A new structure for a compact optical branching circuit is proposed. An asymmetric Y-branching circuit using total reflection is fabricated on an AlGaAs/GaAs wafer. Good branching operation is observed in a single-mode branching circuit with a branching angle of 45°. The exact origins of loss in the branching circuit are also clarified     

A high-speed 16-kb GaAs SRAM of less than 5 ns using triple-levelmetal interconnection

The authors have realized 16-kb SRAMs with maximum address access time of less than 5 ns and typical power dissipation of less than 2 W at temperatures ranging from 25°C to 100°C. For the RAMs, they have developed a triple-level Au-based interconnection technology that reduces the wiring length and chip size of the SRAM so as to achieve high speed and high yield. Consequently, the wiring length and chip size are reduced to 69% and 58%, respectively, of those obtained by in previous work. The authors experimentally compared the delay time incurred by double-level interconnection and that by triple-level interconnection. This ratio is found to agree well with the simulated one by a model with distributed RC delay. After successfully suppressing Au hillock generation by lowering the process temperature, yield per wafer of 10% is obtained