The intermediate-band solar cell (IBSC) has been proposed as a device whose conversion efficiency can exceed the 40.7% limiting value of single-gap cells. It utilizes the so-called intermediate-band material, characterized by the existence of a band that splits an otherwise conventional semiconductor bandgap into two sub-bandgaps. Two important criteria for its operation are that the carrier populations in the conduction, valence, and intermediate-bands are each described by their own quasi-Fermi levels, and that photocurrent is produced when the cell is illuminated with below-bandgap-energy photons. IBSC prototypes have been manufactured from InAs quantum dot structures and analyzed by electroluminescence and quantum efficiency measurements. We present evidence to show that the two main operating principles required of the IBSC are fulfilled.
Prestressing steel wires have excellent mechanical properties but there is a need to improve their durability in aggressive environments. In this work, the influence of residual stresses on the environmentally assisted cracking of these wires is studied. A good correlation has been found between residual stresses at the surface of the wires and the time to rupture during stress corrosion test proposed by the International Federation of Prestressing. Wires with the same microstructure, surface quality and mechanical properties show very different behaviour in aggressive environments depending on their residual stress state. Research shows that environmentally assisted cracking can be improved significantly by acting on the surface residual stresses produced by wire drawing. In addition, in this study a post-drawing treatment to generate compressive residual stresses at the surface of the wires is proposed.
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