A new approach for analysis of atomic-force microscopy (AFM) images of ultrasmooth surfaces is developed. Decomposition of AFM image into three components is the base of the approach. Each component represents a characteristic feature of the surface relief. It allows obtaining statistically reliable quantitative characterization of ultrasmooth surface topography. The decomposition makes it possible to predict the reflective properties of multilayer interference coating deposited onto a glass ceramics substrate as early as at the stage of the substrate treatment. The developed technique and direct measurements of integral light scattering showed that polishing glass ceramic substrate with gas cluster ions before the reflective coating deposition results in smoother surface. Consequently, we improved reflective properties of the mirrors.
The authors consider the possibility to raise the specific power of synchronous generators with excitation from inexpensive permanent magnets. For this purpose, it is proposed to use tooth-wise windings and permanent magnets based on inexpensive magneto-hard material, e.g. strontium-ferrite. The magnets are to be placed between the rotor teeth, the alternate polarity of which is facing the air-gap. This provides a simpler and cheaper technology of making such a generator and improves its reliability. The proposed rational bevelling of the stator teeth not only raises the specific power of the generator but also reduces the level of noise and vibrations, extends the longevity of the magnets and bearings as well as facilitates the starting torque of the electric machine, e.g. if it is employed as wind generator.
Currently, the main material for the production of solar cells is still silicon. More than 70% of the global production of solar cells are silicon based. For solar-grade silicon production the technologies based on the reduction of silicon from organosilicon compounds are mainly used. These technologies are energy-consuming, highly explosive and unsustainable.The present paper studies the technology of purification of metallurgical-grade silicon by vacuum-thermal and plasma-chemical treatment of silicon melt under electromagnetic stirring using numerical simulation and compares this technology with the existing ones (silane technologies and Elkem Solar silicon (ESS) production process) in terms of energy consumption, environmental safety and the process scalability.It is shown that the proposed technology is environmentally safe, scalable and has low power consumption. The final product of this technology is multicrystalline silicon, ready for silicon wafer production.
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