A solar cell structure is disclosed that includes a first metal layer, formed over predefined portions of a sun-exposed major surface of a semiconductor structure, that form electrical gridlines of the solar cell; a network of carbon nanotubes formed over the first metal layer; and a second metal layer formed onto the network of carbon nanotubes, wherein the second metal layer infiltrates the network of carbon nanotubes to connect with the first metal layer to form a first metal matrix composite comprising a metal matrix and a carbon nanotube reinforcement, wherein the second metal layer is an electrically conductive layer in which the carbon nanotube reinforcement is embedded in and bonded to the metal matrix, and the first metal matrix composite provides enhanced mechanical support as well as enhanced or equal electrical conductivity for the electrical contacts against applied mechanical stressors to the electrical contacts.

Described herein are apparatus, systems, and methods for the continuous production of BNNT fibers, BNNT strands and BNNT initial yarns having few defects and good alignment. BNNTs may be formed by thermally exciting a boron feedstock in a chamber in the presence of pressurized nitrogen. BNNTs are encouraged to self-assemble into aligned BNNT fibers in a growth zone, and form BNNT strands and BNNT initial yarns, through various combinations of nitrogen gas flow direction and velocities, heat source distribution, temperature gradients, and chamber geometries.

The present invention provides nanostructures for use in proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells. The present invention also provides method of proliferating and differentiating neural stem cells.

An optical device comprising: a quantum dot, said quantum dot comprising InAs and adapted to emit radiation in the wavelength range from 1200 nm to 2000 nm; a supporting layer supporting said quantum dot, said supporting layer being lattice matched to InP; and wherein the longest dimension of the base of the quantum dot provided parallel to the supporting layer is within 20% of the shortest dimension of the base provided parallel to the supporting layer.

The present invention relates to the technical field of inorganic nanofilm materials, and provides a method for preparing a tungsten sulfide thin film. The method comprises the steps of: applying a one-atom-thick W layer on a silicon substrate; applying a one-atom-thick S layer on the W layer; and applying another one-atom-thick W layer on the S layer, to obtain a thin film that is a single-layer thin film having a W—S—W layered structure. The present invention further provides a tungsten sulfide thin film prepared through the method. By means of the method according to the present invention, large-area preparation of the W—S—W thin film is realized, and the quality of the prepared W—S—W thin film is considerably improved, which greatly improves the electrical performance of the W—S—W thin film.

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a quantum dot polarization plate. The method for manufacturing a quantum dot polarization plate according to the present invention forms a quantum dot layer and a polarization layer separately on different bases to respectively make a quantum dot film and a polarization film and then bonds the quantum dot film and the polarization film together to form a quantum dot polarization plate. The quantum dot polarization plate is not made through successive formations of films on the same base so that the quantum dot layer of the quantum dot polarization plate can be manufactured through a high-temperature process or a low-temperature process, thereby expanding the range of material section and manufacture for quantum dots. The quantum dot polarization plate manufactured with such process helps increase color gamut coverage of the display panel, but does not cause elimination of light polarization.

A method of transferring functionalized graphene comprising the steps of providing graphene on a first substrate, functionalizing the graphene and forming functionalized graphene on the first substrate, delaminating the functionalized graphene from the first substrate, and applying the functionalized graphene to a second substrate.

Metal oxide nanostructure and methods of making metal oxide nanostructures are provided. The metal oxide nanostructures can be 1-dimensional nanostructures such as nanowires, nanofibers, or nanotubes. The metal oxide nanostructures can be doped or un-doped metal oxides. The metal oxide nanostructures can be deposited onto a variety of substrates. The deposition can be performed without high pressures and without the need for seed catalysts on the substrate. The deposition can be performed by laser ablation of a target including a metal oxide and, optionally, a dopant. In some embodiments zinc oxide nanostructures are deposited onto a substrate by pulsed laser deposition of a zinc oxide target using an excimer laser emitting UV radiation. The zinc oxide nanostructure can be doped with a rare earth metal such as gadolinium. The metal oxide nanostructures can be used in many devices including light-emitting diodes and solar cells.

Sub-lithographic structures configured for selective placement of carbon nanotubes and methods of fabricating the same generally includes alternating conformal first and second layers provided on a topographical pattern formed in a dielectric layer. The conformal layers can be deposited by atomic layer deposition or chemical vapor deposition at thicknesses less than 5 nanometers. A planarized surface of the alternating conformal first and second layers provides an alternating pattern of exposed surfaces corresponding to the first and second layer, wherein a width of at least a portion of the exposed surfaces is substantially equal to the thickness of the corresponding first and second layers. The first layer is configured to provide an affinity for carbon nanotubes and the second layer does not have an affinity such that the carbon nanotubes can be selectively placed onto the exposed surfaces of the alternating pattern corresponding to the first layer.

A method for forming electrical contacts for a solar cell and a solar cell formed using the method is provided. The method includes forming a first metal layer over predefined portions of a surface of the solar cell; depositing a carbon nanotube layer over the first metal layer; and forming a second metal layer over the carbon nanotube layer, wherein the first metal layer, the carbon nanotube layer, and the second metal layer form a first metal matrix composite layer that provides electrical conductivity and mechanical support for the metal contacts.