An array of solar cells comprises a plurality of semiconductor devices, each semiconductor device comprising a solar cell and a protective diode, most solar cells being connected individually in parallel with a protective diode in a different semiconductor device, to provide a compact arrangement for the array, within each semiconductor device the radiation-sensitive P-N junction of the solar cell being isolated from the P-N junction of the protective diode.

Electrochemical cells having an alkali metal anode, a carbon or (C.sub.4 F).sub.n cathode, and an electrolyte, comprising a solute dissolved in an inorganic oxyhalide or thiohalide solvent, between and in contact with the anode and cathode. The cathode material, which catalyzes the electrochemical decomposition of the solvent, is present as a composite structure wherein a metallic screen is coated on both sides thereof with the cathode material. The screen is so positioned that sharp spikes at t...

A dry cell comprising a zinc anode, a depolarizing mix and a separator which functions to separate the anode from the depolarizing mix, said depolarizing mix containing manganese dioxide as its main component and acetylene black immersed in an electrolyte having zinc chloride as its main ingredient, said depolarizing mix containing water and chlorine in an amount of about 50 to 90 parts by weight and about 5.5 to 14.5 parts by weight, respectively, per 100 parts by weight of manganese dioxide, t...

Electrochemical cells having an oxidizable active anode material, a solid cathode material, and an electrolytic solution between and in contact with the anode and the cathode, the electrolytic solution comprising a liquid covalent inorganic oxyhalide or thiohalide solvent and a solute dissolved therein, the inorganic oxyhalide or thiohalide solvent being the sole oxidant material and sole solvent material in the cell. In a first embodiment of the invention, the cathode comprises a solid, non-con...

A solar cell comprising a p-type doped semi-conductor body in whose upper part, exposed to the incident light, there is provided a thin n-type doped zone, the battery being covered in its lower part by a metal electrode and in its upper part by a metal collector grid, wherein the n-type doped layer between the bars of the collector grid is covered by an insulating layer which is transparent to the incident radiation, said insulating layer being itself covered by a conductive layer which constitu...

A method of growing cells of Pseudomonas putida, preferably mutants of strains NCIB 11680 or 11767, to induce in them an enzyme capable of converting an aromatic or substituted aromatic compound to a corresponding cyclic dihydroxy compound. Suitable inducers include pyridine and substituted pyridines.

An electric cell comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte maintains excellent performance when the positive electrode is an electro-conductive polymer composite including a mesh stainless steel having a wire diameter of about 35-120 .mu.m and an electro-conductive polymer, typically polyaniline, integrally deposited onto the mesh by electrolytic polymerization. A container having the elements received therein is provided with a vent mechanism.

A scattering cell can contain a sample whose scattering properties upon irradiation are measurable by a detector. The cell includes a central body having an input and output side spanned by a sample cavity. The cell also has an input window bordering the sample cavity on the input side. Also included is a prismatic output window bordering the sample cavity on the output side. This output window is operable to refract its incident radiation and vary the angle between its incident and transmitted ...

A load measuring transducer comprises a frame structure machined out of a single piece and constituted by an inflexible fixed member and a movable member interconnected by parallel arms and resiliently articulated. The fixed member carries plates of a reference capacitor and one plate of a capacitative transducer, the other plate being carried by the moving member. The fixed and variable capacitors are connected to a ratio measuring circuit whose output signal denotes the applied load independen...

This invention provides a design for spirally wound electrochemical cells which improves their safety during abuse such as voltage reversal. The invention comprises coupling a first segment of inert conductive metal to the cathode and a dendrite target comprised of an inert conductive metal to the anode. When these electrodes are spirally wound together the two segments of inert conductive metal face each other, held in physical separation by the separator, whereby during voltage reversal a dend...