Glasses containing silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) and/or boron oxide (B.sub.2O.sub.3) as glass formers and having a refractive index n.sub.d of greater than or equal to 1.80, as measured at 587.56 nm, a density of less than or equal to 5.5 g/cm.sup.3, as measured at 25? C., and a high transmittance to, particularly to blue light, are provided. Optionally, the glasses may be characterized by a high transmittance in the visible and near-ultraviolet (near-UV) range of the electromagnetic spectrum and/or good glass forming ability.

A passivation glass coating composition is provided for forming a fired passivation glass layer on a semiconductor substrate having p-n junction. The passivation glass coating composition includes a glass component that is lead free, cadmium free, alkali metal oxides free, and colored transition metal oxides (i.e. metal oxides of V, Fe, Co, Ni, Cr, Cu, Mn) free. The glass component includes bismuth based glasses, and provides a firing temperature range of 500 C. to 900 C., and controlled devitrification. Once fired to a semiconductor device, the fired passivation glass layer provides exceptional device performance including no cracking of the fired passivation glass layer, excellent thermal expansion matching to silicon, good chemical resistance to acid and base, and improved device performance.

A passivation glass coating composition is provided for forming a fired passivation glass layer on a semiconductor substrate having p-n junction. The passivation glass coating composition includes a glass component that is lead free, cadmium free, alkali metal oxides free, and colored transition metal oxides (i.e. metal oxides of V, Fe, Co, Ni, Cr, Cu, Mn) free. The glass component includes bismuth based glasses, and provides a firing temperature range of 500 C. to 900 C., and controlled devitrification. Once fired to a semiconductor device, the fired passivation glass layer provides exceptional device performance including no cracking of the fired passivation glass layer, excellent thermal expansion matching to silicon, good chemical resistance to acid and base, and improved device performance.

A composition for solar cell electrodes including a conductive powder, a glass frit, and an organic vehicle. The glass frit contains tellurium (Te), sodium (Na), zinc (Zn), and at least one of lead (Pb) and bismuth (Bi). A molar ratio of the sum of lead and bismuth to zinc ranges from about 1 to about 20. A molar ratio of tellurium to sodium ranges from about 1 to about 15.

A method and a device for hermetically encapsulating components using at least one gas discharge lamp, an inorganic material that is transparent for light and a light-absorbing inorganic medium, are provided. With a suitable selection, inorganic materials or inorganic media guarantee a very low level of permeability for oxygen, water vapor and reactive gases in contrast to organic materials or organic media. The encapsulation occurs in a time period of less than one second. In addition, the average temperature of the component only increases slightly, such that even components with temperature-sensitive regions can be encapsulated.

A passivation glass coating composition is provided for forming a fired passivation glass layer on a semiconductor substrate having p-n junction. The passivation glass coating composition includes a glass component that is lead free, cadmium free, alkali metal oxides free, and colored transition metal oxides (i.e. metal oxides of V, Fe, Co, Ni, Cr, Cu, Mn) free. The glass component includes bismuth based glasses, and provides a firing temperature range of 500 C. to 900 C., and controlled devitrification. Once fired to a semiconductor device, the fired passivation glass layer provides exceptional device performance including no cracking of the fired passivation glass layer, excellent thermal expansion matching to silicon, good chemical resistance to acid and base, and improved device performance.

A passivation glass coating composition is provided for forming a fired passivation glass layer on a semiconductor substrate having p-n junction. The passivation glass coating composition includes a glass component that is lead free, cadmium free, alkali metal oxides free, and colored transition metal oxides (i.e. metal oxides of V, Fe, Co, Ni, Cr, Cu, Mn) free. The glass component includes bismuth based glasses, and provides a firing temperature range of 500 C. to 900 C., and controlled devitrification. Once fired to a semiconductor device, the fired passivation glass layer provides exceptional device performance including no cracking of the fired passivation glass layer, excellent thermal expansion matching to silicon, good chemical resistance to acid and base, and improved device performance.

An X-ray and gamma-ray shielding glass, including the following components in weight-%: 10-35% SiO.sub.2; 60-70% PbO; 0-8% B.sub.2O.sub.3; 0-10% Al.sub.2O.sub.3; 0-10% Na.sub.2O; 0-10% K.sub.2O; 0-0.3% As.sub.2O.sub.3; 0-2% Sb.sub.2O.sub.3; 0-6% BaO; and 0.05-2% ZrO.sub.2.

An X-ray and gamma-ray shielding glass, including the following components in weight-%: 10-35% SiO.sub.2; 60-70% PbO; 0-8% B.sub.2O.sub.3; 0-10% Al.sub.2O.sub.3; 0-10% Na.sub.2O; 0-10% K.sub.2O; 0-0.3% As.sub.2O.sub.3; 0-2% Sb.sub.2O.sub.3; 0-6% BaO; and 0.05-2% ZrO.sub.2.

A thick film resistor excluding a toxic lead component from a conductive component and glass and having characteristics equivalent to or superior to conventional resistors in terms of, in a wide resistance range, resistance values, TCR characteristics, current noise characteristics, withstand voltage characteristics and the like. The thick film resistor is formed of a fired product of a resistive composition, wherein the thick film resistor contains ruthenium-based conductive particles containing ruthenium dioxide and a glass component essentially free of a lead component and has a resistance value in the range of 100 / to 10 M/ and a temperature coefficient of resistance within 100 ppm/ C.