Invention Description Solar cell fabrication requires the use of transparent conductive oxides on the front face (sun facing side) and rear contact to provide a current path for operation. Typically, only one layer of Indium Tin Oxide is sputtered from an alloy composition target, Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a technology...

Invention Description Recent technological innovations in the areas of additive manufacturing and collaborative robotics have paved the way toward realizing the concept of on-demand, personalized production on the shop floor. Additive manufacturing process can provide the capability of printing highly customized parts based on various customer requirements....

Invention Description Functionally graded materials (FGMs) offer the ability to create structures with spatially varying properties, enabling advanced performance in applications such as biomedical devices, soft robotics, and high-performance composites. However, existing multi-material 3D printing systems, such as stereolithography, are often slow...

Invention Description Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been rigorously researched and pursued as a potential low-cost, next-generation thin-film photovoltaic technology. PSCs have now achieved certified power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) exceeding 26%, which paves the way to commercial upscale manufacturing. However, the commercialization of PSCs...

Invention Description Gallium Nitride (GaN) is a wide bandgap semiconductor that has gained significant attention in recent years specifically for use in RF and power electronics due to its excellent material properties and better performance compared to traditional silicon (Si) devices. GaN based lateral high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs)...

Invention Description Polyaniline (PANI) is a conductive polymer with excellent electrical conductivity lending it great utility in numerous electronics applications including electronic devices, sensors, batteries and more. While PANI can be easily deposited on many surfaces, it has difficulty with producing a dense coating on insulating substrates,...

Implementing liquid-based assays, such as PCR and LAMP, is difficult in POC microfluidic devices, due to bubble formation. To mitigate this, auxiliary metering systems or actuators are required to regulate consistent flow rates. This can make the microfluidic device more complicated to operate, increases cost, and limits rapid prototyping, ultimately...

Background Airborne dust emission can lead to adverse effects on human health (e.g., respiratory problems and cardiovascular issues) and the surrounding environment (e.g., contamination of water bodies and degradation of vegetation). One commonly used short-term method to mitigate airborne dust is spraying water on the soil surface. However, as the...

Background Under-actuated compliant systems have grown in prevalence in recent years in the soft robotics area. The coupled stiffness and damping characteristics of system structure and materials of these systems enable robotic systems for tasks including locomotion and gripping. Legged robots in particular exhibit superior maneuverability in intricate...

Background Understanding the mechanical properties of biologically relevant soft materials is increasingly important for developing a comprehensive knowledge of the underlying injury mechanism and emerging biomedical applications such as tissue regeneration, and shockwave lithotripsy. Soft materials, which are composed of a variety of substances such...