A transparent electroconductive layer 3 includes a first main surface 5 and a second main surface 6 facing each other in a thickness direction. The transparent electroconductive layer 3 is a single layer extending in a plane direction perpendicular to the thickness direction. The transparent electroconductive layer 3 has a plurality of crystal grains 4, a plurality of first grain boundaries 7 partitioning the plurality of crystal grains 4 and having each of one end edge 9 and another end edge 10 in the thickness direction open in each of the first main surface 5 and the second main surface 6, and a second grain boundary 8 branching from a first intermediate portion 11 of one first grain boundary 7A and reaching a second intermediate portion 12 of another first grain boundary 7B.

An electrochromic element is provided. The electrochromic element includes a first electrode, a second electrode facing the first electrode with a gap therebetween, and a color developing layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The color developing layer includes an electrochromic compound that develops and discharges color by a redox reaction and a compound having an adsorption group adsorptive to the first electrode.

A system and method for treating a cavity comprises arranging a niobium structure in a coating chamber, the coating chamber being arranged inside a furnace, coating the niobium structure with tin thereby forming an Nb.sub.3Sn layer on the niobium structure, and doping the Nb.sub.3Sn layer with nitrogen, thereby forming a nitrogen doped Nb.sub.3Sn layer on the niobium structure.

A liquid crystal device and a method of forming a liquid crystal device are disclosed. The device comprises a layer of liquid crystal material bounded by a first cell wall and a second cell wall, the first cell wall being provided with a first electrode structure and the second cell wall being provided with a second electrode structure. The first cell wall and the second cell wall are separated by a distance d.sub.c, wherein the layer of liquid crystal material is associated with a plurality of defect generation sites. Defects are generated by the defect generation sites, increasing switching speed and decreasing the time it takes to switch large area displays employing such devices.

A p-type thermoelectric material according to one aspect of the present invention is configured such that at least any one of a Mg site, a Si site, a Sn site and/or a Ge site in a compound composed of magnesium (Mg), silicon (Si), tin (Sn) and germanium (Ge) is substituted with any one or more elements selected from the group consisting of alkali metals of group 1A and gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), calcium (Ca) and gallium (Ga) of group 1B.

Disclosed are a single-source precursor for synthesizing metal chalcogenide nanoparticles for producing a light absorption layer of solar cells comprising a Group VI element linked as a ligand to any one metal selected from the group consisting of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and tin (Sn), metal chalcogenide nanoparticles produced by heat-treating at least one type of the single-source precursor, a method of preparing the same, a thin film produced using the same and a method of producing the thin film.

Described are Zn.sub.xCd.sub.1-xS.sub.ySe.sub.1-y/ZnS.sub.zSe.sub.1-z core/shell nanocrystals, CdTe/CdS/ZnS core/shell/shell nanocrystals, optionally doped Zn(S,Se,Te) nano- and quantum wires, and SnS quantum sheets or ribbons, methods for making the same, and their use in biomedical and photonic applications, such as sensors for analytes in cells and preparation of field effect transistors.

Described are Zn.sub.xCd.sub.1-xS.sub.ySe.sub.1-y/ZnS.sub.zSe.sub.1-z core/shell nanocrystals, CdTe/CdS/ZnS core/shell/shell nanocrystals, optionally doped Zn(S,Se,Te) nano- and quantum wires, and SnS quantum sheets or ribbons, methods for making the same, and their use in biomedical and photonic applications, such as sensors for analytes in cells and preparation of field effect transistors.

A high performance, lead free, Ag paste thermal interface material (TIM) for die attachment and substrate bonding in electronic packaging includes: (i) multiscale silver particles, (ii) metal-coated carbon nanotubes (CNTs), (iii) a polymer, and (iv) a liquid carrier. The multiscale silver particles and metal-coated carbon nanotubes, which function as hybrid filler components, are uniformly dispersed within the TIM composition. The sintered TIM exhibits high density, high mechanical strength, and high thermal conductivity. The components of the liquid carrier including the solvent, binder, surfactants, and thinner are completely evaporated or burned off during sintering. Sintering of the TIM can be conducted at a relatively low temperature, without or with very low (<0.1 MPa) pressure, in open air and without vacuum or inert gas protection. The TIM can be utilized in substrate bonding not only on conventional metal-plated surfaces but also bare Cu substrate surfaces.

A high performance, lead free, Ag paste thermal interface material (TIM) for die attachment and substrate bonding in electronic packaging includes: (i) multiscale silver particles, (ii) metal-coated carbon nanotubes (CNTs), (iii) a polymer, and (iv) a liquid carrier. The multiscale silver particles and metal-coated carbon nanotubes, which function as hybrid filler components, are uniformly dispersed within the TIM composition. The sintered TIM exhibits high density, high mechanical strength, and high thermal conductivity. The components of the liquid carrier including the solvent, binder, surfactants, and thinner are completely evaporated or burned off during sintering. Sintering of the TIM can be conducted at a relatively low temperature, without or with very low (<0.1 MPa) pressure, in open air and without vacuum or inert gas protection. The TIM can be utilized in substrate bonding not only on conventional metal-plated surfaces but also bare Cu substrate surfaces.