Doug Schulz

Modeling and hardware implementation of VMPPT for a PV panel with a reference cell

The paper presents a voltage-based maximum power point tracking (MPPT) scheme in which a reference cell is used to provide information on the open circuit voltage. In this scheme, there is no need to open circuit the main panel thereby increasing the power output from the panel. This implementation is cost effective and exact when the main panel and the reference cell can be fabricated together in a single process. A buck-boost type switching converter is used to interface the PV panel and the load. In the method proposed a PSPICE-based modeling technique is used to identify a second panel that will serve as a reference. PSPICE parameters needed for simulation are obtained from manufacturers specifications. A Programmable System on a Chip (PSoC) is used for implementing the control algorithm. The details of modeling and experimental results are presented and compared.

Atmospheric-pressure plasma deposition of indium tin oxide

Indium tin oxide (ITO) films were deposited via atmospheric-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (APPD) using indium acetylacetonate, indium trifluoroacetylacetonate and tin trifluoroacetylacetonate as metal-organic precursors. A film growth temperature of 300 °C gave highly-transparent films with modest conductivity. Post-deposition thermal treatments gave ITO films with resistivities one to two orders of magnitude higher than those available commercially. Compositional analysis revealed a high carbon content and annealing the films in oxygen at 400 C did not affect the C concentration. A decrease in the fluorine content in the films was observed after annealing with and the onset of crystallization was noted via XRD.

Advances in Aerosol Direct-Write Technology for Fine Line Applications

Aerosol deposition tools including Aerosol Jet™ and Collimated Aerosol Beam Direct-Write (CAB-DW™) have been used to create fine metallic traces with line widths as thin as 5 μm by focusing and accelerating aerosol particles through a nozzle and onto a substrate. These tools excel at applications requiring a non-contact method of rapid prototyping. We developed the CAB-DW system after an understanding of the fluid-particle interactions inside the Aerosol Jet system was realized. CAB-DW offers both narrower line widths and reduced overspray due to its 3-component converging-diverging-converging nozzle system. The details behind how this system was designed, subsequent progress in aerosol focusing designs, and applications of aerosol deposition systems will be discussed. In addition, a comparison of these aerosol direct-write systems to other direct-write systems and the future prospects of these tools will be presented.Copyright