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In order to achieve competitive system costs in mass-production, it is essential that CPV concentrators incorporate sufficient manufacturing tolerances. This paper presents an advanced concentrator optic comprising a Fresnel lens and a refractive secondary element, both with broken rotational symmetry, an optic producing both the desired light concentration with high tolerance (high acceptance angle) as well as an excellent light homogenization by Köhler integration. This concentrator compares well with conventional Fresnel-based CPV concentrators.

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The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) population densities on the chemical and microbiological properties of an Oxisol. The work was carried out on soil samples of 0-20 cm depth originated from an experimental site which had been used for coffee tree spacing studies during 15 years, in Paraná State, Brazil. Eight coffee tree populations were evaluated: 7143, 3571, 2381, 1786, 1429, 1190, 1020, and 893 trees/ha. Increasing plant population increased soil pH, exchangeable Ca, Mg, K, extractable P, organic carbon, moisture content and coffee root colonization by vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and decreased exchangeable Al and microbial biomass. Such results were attributed to better erosion control, improved plant residue management and nutrient cycling, and decreased leaching losses. Increasing coffee tree population per unit of area has shown to be an important reclamation recuperation strategy for improving fertility of the acid soils in Paraná, Brazil.

SUMMARYThere are great concerns about degradation of agricultural soils. It has been suggested that cultivating different plant species intercropped with coffee plants can increase microbial diversity and enhance soil sustainability. The objective of this study was to evaluate enzyme activity (urease, arylsulfatase and phosphatase) and alterations in C and N mineralization rates as related to different legume cover crops planted between rows of coffee plants. Soil samples were collected in a field experiment conducted for 10 years in a sandy soil in the North of Paraná State, Brazil. Samples were collected from the 0-10 cm layer, both from under the tree canopy and in-between rows in the following treatments: control, Leucaena leucocephala, Crotalaria spectabilis, Crotalaria breviflora, Mucuna pruriens, Mucuna deeringiana, Arachis hypogaea and Vigna unguiculata. The soil was sampled in four stages of legume cover crops: pre-planting (September), after planting (November), flowering stage (February) and after plant residue incorporation (April), from 1997 to 1999. The green manure species influenced soil enzyme activity (urease, arylsulfatase and phosphatase) and C and N mineralization rates, both under the tree canopy and in-between rows. Cultivation of Leucaena leucocephala increased acid phosphatase and arilsulfatase activity and C and N mineralization both under the tree canopy and in-between rows. Intercropped L. leucocephala increased urease activity under the tree canopy while C. breviflora increased urease activity in-between rows.Index terms: Soil enzymes, mineralization potential, green manure, mulching, nutrient cycling.(

By having a single optical element combine the light of several high luminance LEDs, a high luminance light source can be formed, with shape and emission characteristics adaptable to nearly all illumination problems. The illuminance distribution of this virtual source facilitates the generation of the desired intensity pattern via its imaging-stye projection into the far field. This projection is achieved by one refractive and one reflective freeform surface, both calculated simultaneously by the 3D SMS method, which is herein demonstrated for an LED automotive headlamp.

Computational analysis of responses of a wedge-shaped-tip optical fiber probe in bubble measurement Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 075107 (2012) Efficient evanescent wave coupling conditions for waveguide-integrated thin-film Si/Ge photodetectors on siliconon-insulator/germanium-on-insulator substrates J. Appl. Phys. 110, 083115 (2011) Triple-path collector optics for grazing incident x-ray emission spectrometer Rev. Sci. Instrum. 82, 073108 (2011) Micromirror arrays to assess luminescent nano-objects Rev. Sci. Instrum. 82, 053905 (2011) The geometrical-optics law of reflection for electromagnetic waves in magnetically confined plasmas: Specular reflection of rays at the last closed flux surface Phys. Plasmas 17, 104501 (2010) Additional information on AIP Conf. Proc.

Abstract. Getting a lower energy cost has always been a challenge for concentrated photovoltaic. The FK concentrator enhances the performance (efficiency, acceptance angle and manufacturing tolerances) of the conventional CPV system based on a Fresnel primary stage and a secondary lens, while keeping its simplicity and potentially low-cost manufacturing. At the same time F-XTP (Fresnel lens+reflective prism), at the first glance has better cost potential but significantly higher sensitivity to manufacturing errors. This work presents comparison of these two approaches applied to two main technologies of Fresnel lens production (PMMA and Silicone on Glass) and effect of standard deformations that occur under real operation conditions.