No abstract available

[en] In this study, we have utilized characterization methods to identify the nature of metal impurity precipitates in low performance regions of multicrystalline silicon solar cells. Specifically, we have utilized synchrotron-based x-ray fluorescence and x-ray absorption spectromicroscopy to study the elemental and chemical nature of these impurity precipitates, respectively. We have detected nanometer-scale precipitates of Fe, Cr, Ni, Cu, and Au in multicrystalline silicon materials from a variety of solar cell manufacturers. Additionally, we have obtained a direct correlation between the impurity precipitates and regions of low light-induced current, providing direct proof that metal impurities play a significant role in the performance of multicrystalline silicon solar cells. Furthermore, we have identified the chemical state of iron precipitates in the low-performance regions. These results indicate that the iron precipitates are in the form of oxide or silicate compound. These compounds are highly stable and cannot be removed with standard silicon processing, indicating remediation efforts via impurity removal need to be improved. Future improvements to multicrystalline silicon solar cell performance can be best obtained by inhibiting oxygen and metal impurity introduction as well as modifying thermal treatments during crystal growth to avoid oxide or silicate formation

[en] Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) devices are rapidly replacing CCD devices in many commercial and medical applications. Recent developments in CMOS fabrication have improved their radiation hardness, device linearity, readout noise and thermal noise, making them suitable for x-ray crystallography detectors. Large-format (e.g. 10 cm × 15 cm) CMOS devices with a pixel size of 100 μm × 100 μm are now becoming available that can be butted together on three sides so that very large area detector can be made with no dead regions. Like CCD systems our CMOS systems use a GdOS:Tb scintillator plate to convert stopping x-rays into visible light which is then transferred with a fiber-optic plate to the sensitive surface of the CMOS sensor. The amount of light per x-ray on the sensor is much higher in the CMOS system than a CCD system because the fiber optic plate is only 3 mm thick while on a CCD system it is highly tapered and much longer. A CMOS sensor is an active pixel matrix such that every pixel is controlled and readout independently of all other pixels. This allows these devices to be readout while the sensor is collecting charge in all the other pixels. For x-ray diffraction detectors this is a major advantage since image frames can be collected continuously at up 20 Hz while the crystal is rotated. A complete diffraction dataset can be collected over five times faster than with CCD systems with lower radiation exposure to the crystal. In addition, since the data is taken fine-phi slice mode the 3D angular position of diffraction peaks is improved. We have developed a cooled 6 sensor CMOS detector with an active area of 28.2 × 29.5 cm with 100 μm × 100 μm pixels and a readout rate of 20 Hz. The detective quantum efficiency exceeds 60% over the range 8-12 keV. One, two and twelve sensor systems are also being developed for a variety of scientific applications. Since the sensors are butt able on three sides, even larger systems could be built at reasonable cost.

[en] Recent developments in CMOS devices have improved their radiation hardness, response linearity, readout noise and thermal noise, making them suitable for x-ray crystallography detectors. Large (14.8 x 9.4 cm) CMOS sensors with a pixel size of 100 x100 microns are now available that can be butted together on three sides. We have fabricated a 6-tile system in a 2x3 array with a 28.2 x 29.5 cm continuous imaging area. To make an x-ray detector the CMOS sensor is covered with a 3 mm flat fibre-optic plate (for radiation protection) and a Gd₂O₂S:Tb scintillator screen. A special feature of these systems is that they can be read out continuously at 10 frames/sec with excellent dynamic range without interrupting data collection. We have installed this system at beamline 4.4.2 of the Advanced Light Source synchrotron. Anomalous diffraction data were recorded without an x-ray shutter, rotating the crystal sample continuously with an exposure time of 0.1 sec/frame and a rotation speed of 1°/sec for 180 degrees. The 1,800 frame datasets were processed in D*TREK and XDS data analysis programs and experimental phases were determined in PHENIX. The crystallographic results are typically significantly better than equivalent data recorded on a conventional CCD system, due to the 10X finer angular resolution of the recorded data. Very large systems can now be made that would have an active area of 56 x 59 cm² with 33 x 10⁶ pixels.

[en] Results from a design study for a nuclear propulsion plant utilising a small integrated PWR using many of the inherent safety features of the IRIS design. The design consists of a single pass, low enrichment core housed, together with all associated primary circuit components, within a reactor pressure vessel 10.3 m high and 4.1 m in diameter. Reactor physics calculations were conducted with the codes WIMS9a and MONK8b. The core design contains 21 fuel assemblies each containing 264 UO₂ fuel pins. Each fuel module has a cluster of 24 boron carbide control rods and a central instrumentation channel. The fuel enrichment was 9% in order to achieve the core lifetime requirement of 3000 EFPD at a reactor power of 120 MWth. This gives a discharge burnup of 51,000 MWd/t. To control excess reactivity, two forms of burnable poison are employed: a zirconium dibromide (ZrB₂) coating on the fuel compacts, and gadolinium oxide homogeneously mixed in the fuel. Thermal hydraulic calculations were performed using TRAC-P(ND) for steady-state operation and for a number of fault transients. The helical once through steam generators were modelled using heat structure and pipe components and their performance compared to independent calculations including heat transfer correlations for the helical coiled geometry. Intact circuit calculations for steady state were followed by a small break LOCA calculation including the effect of a containment volume which reproduced the gain of coolant effect reported for IRIS. It was demonstrated that the thermal limits were not exceeded for the identified key transients. The dynamic response of the reactor plant to typical power demands was modelled using AcslXtreme software. Several schemes for limiting the power overshoot that was found on rapid increase to full power were examined. It was concluded that the SG must be operated with variable secondary pressure and the best means of reducing power overshoot is to step back the throttle opening during large power increases. (authors)

[en] A micro x-ray diffraction facility is under development at the Advanced Light Source. Spot sizes are typically about 1-μm size generated by means of grazing incidence Kirkpatrick-Baez focusing mirrors. Photon energy is either white of energy range 6-14 keV or monochromatic generated from a pair of channel cut crystals. Laue diffraction pattern from a single grain in a passivated 2-μm wide bamboo structured Aluminum interconnect line has been recorded. Acquisition times are of the order of seconds. The Laue pattern has allowed the determination of the crystallographic orientation of individual grains along the line length. The experimental and analysis procedure used is described, as is the latest grain orientation result. The impact of x-ray micro-diffraction and its possible future direction are discussed in the context of other developments in the area of electromigration, and other technological problems