Pub Date : 2024-07-23DOI: 10.3389/fphot.2024.1389683
Glori Das, Thomas E. Milner
This review examines circadian dysregulation and the role of Müller glial cells (MGCs) in retinal degeneration associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Evidence supporting the interdependence of circadian rhythm (CR) disruption and AD progression is presented. Also reviweed are reports substantiating the role of MGCs in maintaining CR. Studies documenting MGC dysfunction in AD retinas suggest that gliosis, altered diurnal patterns in water homeostasis, blood-retina barrier breakdown, and impaired ocular glymphatic clearance are relevant to disease progression. Similarities between AD and various retinopathies are explored with respect to MGC physiology and CR dysfunction. We propose that MGC circadian dysregulation is diagnostically and therapeutically relevant to AD retinopathy.
这篇综述探讨了昼夜节律失调以及Müller神经胶质细胞（MGCs）在与阿尔茨海默病（AD）相关的视网膜退化中的作用。有证据表明，昼夜节律（CR）紊乱与阿尔茨海默病的发展相互依存。报告还证实了 MGCs 在维持昼夜节律中的作用。记录了AD视网膜中MGC功能障碍的研究表明，神经胶质增生、水稳态的昼夜模式改变、血液-视网膜屏障破坏以及眼部血糖清除功能受损与疾病进展有关。我们探讨了 AD 与各种视网膜病变之间在 MGC 生理和 CR 功能障碍方面的相似性。我们提出，MGC昼夜节律失调在诊断和治疗上与AD视网膜病变有关。
{"title":"Association of circadian dysregulation with retinal degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease: a special focus on Muller glial cells","authors":"Glori Das, Thomas E. Milner","doi":"10.3389/fphot.2024.1389683","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fphot.2024.1389683","url":null,"abstract":"This review examines circadian dysregulation and the role of Müller glial cells (MGCs) in retinal degeneration associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Evidence supporting the interdependence of circadian rhythm (CR) disruption and AD progression is presented. Also reviweed are reports substantiating the role of MGCs in maintaining CR. Studies documenting MGC dysfunction in AD retinas suggest that gliosis, altered diurnal patterns in water homeostasis, blood-retina barrier breakdown, and impaired ocular glymphatic clearance are relevant to disease progression. Similarities between AD and various retinopathies are explored with respect to MGC physiology and CR dysfunction. We propose that MGC circadian dysregulation is diagnostically and therapeutically relevant to AD retinopathy.","PeriodicalId":73099,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in photonics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141812969","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-22DOI: 10.3389/fphot.2024.1386703
M. Rea, R. Nagare, John D. Bullough, M. Figueiro
Circadian disruption, a breakdown in the regularity of activity patterns across the 24-h day, can lead to a variety of maladies. Some individuals and organizations object to the twice-yearly, seasonal changes in local time because it contributes to circadian disruption. The number of days required to re-entrain the circadian system to the new local time following transitions to or from daylight saving time is not completely understood, but several simple rules of thumb (i.e., heuristics) have been offered to minimize the days to re-entrainment and, thus, circadian disruption (e.g., go for a morning walk). Recently, the authors developed a computational model for predicting circadian phase from calibrated light-dark exposure patterns, based largely on the pioneering work of Kronauer and colleagues. This model was used here to predict the days to re-entrainment of the circadian systems of “larks” and “owls” to a new local time if they were exposed to one of three specific light interventions. Simulations showed that the timing of a light intervention must account for chronotypes (e.g., timing of minimum core body temperature) and direction of shift (i.e., phase advance or delay) to achieve re-entrainment to the time change more quickly. Simple heuristics are not necessarily adequate for minimizing the days to re-entrainment.
{"title":"Days to re-entrainment following the spring and autumn changes in local clock time: beyond simple heuristics","authors":"M. Rea, R. Nagare, John D. Bullough, M. Figueiro","doi":"10.3389/fphot.2024.1386703","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fphot.2024.1386703","url":null,"abstract":"Circadian disruption, a breakdown in the regularity of activity patterns across the 24-h day, can lead to a variety of maladies. Some individuals and organizations object to the twice-yearly, seasonal changes in local time because it contributes to circadian disruption. The number of days required to re-entrain the circadian system to the new local time following transitions to or from daylight saving time is not completely understood, but several simple rules of thumb (i.e., heuristics) have been offered to minimize the days to re-entrainment and, thus, circadian disruption (e.g., go for a morning walk). Recently, the authors developed a computational model for predicting circadian phase from calibrated light-dark exposure patterns, based largely on the pioneering work of Kronauer and colleagues. This model was used here to predict the days to re-entrainment of the circadian systems of “larks” and “owls” to a new local time if they were exposed to one of three specific light interventions. Simulations showed that the timing of a light intervention must account for chronotypes (e.g., timing of minimum core body temperature) and direction of shift (i.e., phase advance or delay) to achieve re-entrainment to the time change more quickly. Simple heuristics are not necessarily adequate for minimizing the days to re-entrainment.","PeriodicalId":73099,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in photonics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141815787","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-05-13DOI: 10.3389/fphot.2024.1351744
Daniel Ruiz-Cadalso, Cosme Furlong
Quantitative imaging technologies for in-situ non-destructive testing (NDT) demand high-resolution, wide-field, and stable metrology capabilities. Moreover, live processing and automation are vital for real-time quality control and inspection. Conventional methods use complex optical setups, resulting in large, immobile systems which can solely operate within controlled environmental conditions due to temporal instabilities, rendering them unsuitable for in-situ measurements of micro-to nano-scale physical phenomena. This article delves into the multiphysics application of lensless digital holography, emphasizing its metrological capacity for various in-situ scenarios, while acknowledging and characterizing the differing constraints imposed by various physical phenomena, both transient and steady-state. The digital reconstruction of holograms is computed in real-time, and numerical focusing capabilities allow for instantaneous retrieval of the optical phase at various working distances without the need of complex optical setups, making lensless digital holography well-suited for in-situ quantitative imaging under various types of environments. Current NDT capabilities are demonstrated, including high-resolution and real-time reconstructions, simultaneous measurements for comparative metrology, and practical applications ranging from vibrations and acoustics to thermo-mechanics. Furthermore, methodologies to enhance overall metrology capabilities are exploited, addressing the study of existing physical phenomena, thereby expanding the applicability of holographic techniques across diverse industrial sectors.
{"title":"High-resolution imaging for in-situ non-destructive testing by quantitative lensless digital holography","authors":"Daniel Ruiz-Cadalso, Cosme Furlong","doi":"10.3389/fphot.2024.1351744","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fphot.2024.1351744","url":null,"abstract":"Quantitative imaging technologies for in-situ non-destructive testing (NDT) demand high-resolution, wide-field, and stable metrology capabilities. Moreover, live processing and automation are vital for real-time quality control and inspection. Conventional methods use complex optical setups, resulting in large, immobile systems which can solely operate within controlled environmental conditions due to temporal instabilities, rendering them unsuitable for in-situ measurements of micro-to nano-scale physical phenomena. This article delves into the multiphysics application of lensless digital holography, emphasizing its metrological capacity for various in-situ scenarios, while acknowledging and characterizing the differing constraints imposed by various physical phenomena, both transient and steady-state. The digital reconstruction of holograms is computed in real-time, and numerical focusing capabilities allow for instantaneous retrieval of the optical phase at various working distances without the need of complex optical setups, making lensless digital holography well-suited for in-situ quantitative imaging under various types of environments. Current NDT capabilities are demonstrated, including high-resolution and real-time reconstructions, simultaneous measurements for comparative metrology, and practical applications ranging from vibrations and acoustics to thermo-mechanics. Furthermore, methodologies to enhance overall metrology capabilities are exploited, addressing the study of existing physical phenomena, thereby expanding the applicability of holographic techniques across diverse industrial sectors.","PeriodicalId":73099,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in photonics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140983627","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-03-11DOI: 10.3389/fphot.2024.1364883
Mengfa Wang, Yiming Wang, Jun Qian, Zhaolin Li, Wenhui Xue, Victor Qi, Xijian Zhang, H. Ling, Gongbin Tang, Qingpu Wang, Aimin Song, Chao Cao, Yifei Zhang
In this work, a four-port directional filter (DF) with a broad passband and low reflection is proposed at the W-band, which comprises three unit filters at 92, 95, and 97 GHz, cascaded in series. Each unit consists of two microstrip lines in the top circuit layer for signal input and output, two pairs of apertures in the middle ground layer for directional coupling, and one square loop in the bottom layer as a selective resonator. By sweeping the working frequencies of the three units and optimizing the phase delays between them, the proposed filter achieves a 3-dB bandwidth as broad as 16%, an insertion loss of 2.5 dB at 95 GHz, and an out-of-band rejection of −28 and −23 dB at 80 and 110 GHz, respectively. The corresponding reflection attenuation is larger than 9.6 dB from 60 to 105 GHz. To verify our design, a prototype is fabricated and characterized, and its experimental data are consistent with the simulation. This work significantly expands the bandwidth of DFs and may find many applications in frequency division multiplexing and high-gain wireless systems.
{"title":"Broadband directional filter in multilayer liquid crystal polymer films at W-band","authors":"Mengfa Wang, Yiming Wang, Jun Qian, Zhaolin Li, Wenhui Xue, Victor Qi, Xijian Zhang, H. Ling, Gongbin Tang, Qingpu Wang, Aimin Song, Chao Cao, Yifei Zhang","doi":"10.3389/fphot.2024.1364883","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fphot.2024.1364883","url":null,"abstract":"In this work, a four-port directional filter (DF) with a broad passband and low reflection is proposed at the W-band, which comprises three unit filters at 92, 95, and 97 GHz, cascaded in series. Each unit consists of two microstrip lines in the top circuit layer for signal input and output, two pairs of apertures in the middle ground layer for directional coupling, and one square loop in the bottom layer as a selective resonator. By sweeping the working frequencies of the three units and optimizing the phase delays between them, the proposed filter achieves a 3-dB bandwidth as broad as 16%, an insertion loss of 2.5 dB at 95 GHz, and an out-of-band rejection of −28 and −23 dB at 80 and 110 GHz, respectively. The corresponding reflection attenuation is larger than 9.6 dB from 60 to 105 GHz. To verify our design, a prototype is fabricated and characterized, and its experimental data are consistent with the simulation. This work significantly expands the bandwidth of DFs and may find many applications in frequency division multiplexing and high-gain wireless systems.","PeriodicalId":73099,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in photonics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140251409","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-27DOI: 10.3389/fphot.2024.1359784
Nikhila Nyayapathi, Emily Zheng, Qifa Zhou, Marvin Doyley, Jun Xia
Photoacoustic imaging is a novel biomedical imaging modality that has emerged over the recent decades. Due to the conversion of optical energy into the acoustic wave, photoacoustic imaging offers high-resolution imaging in depth beyond the optical diffusion limit. Photoacoustic imaging is frequently used in conjunction with ultrasound as a hybrid modality. The combination enables the acquisition of both optical and acoustic contrasts of tissue, providing functional, structural, molecular, and vascular information within the same field of view. In this review, we first described the principles of various photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging techniques and then classified the dual-modal imaging systems based on their preclinical and clinical imaging applications. The advantages of dual-modal imaging were thoroughly analyzed. Finally, the review ends with a critical discussion of existing developments and a look toward the future.
{"title":"Dual-modal photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging: from preclinical to clinical applications","authors":"Nikhila Nyayapathi, Emily Zheng, Qifa Zhou, Marvin Doyley, Jun Xia","doi":"10.3389/fphot.2024.1359784","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fphot.2024.1359784","url":null,"abstract":"Photoacoustic imaging is a novel biomedical imaging modality that has emerged over the recent decades. Due to the conversion of optical energy into the acoustic wave, photoacoustic imaging offers high-resolution imaging in depth beyond the optical diffusion limit. Photoacoustic imaging is frequently used in conjunction with ultrasound as a hybrid modality. The combination enables the acquisition of both optical and acoustic contrasts of tissue, providing functional, structural, molecular, and vascular information within the same field of view. In this review, we first described the principles of various photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging techniques and then classified the dual-modal imaging systems based on their preclinical and clinical imaging applications. The advantages of dual-modal imaging were thoroughly analyzed. Finally, the review ends with a critical discussion of existing developments and a look toward the future.","PeriodicalId":73099,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in photonics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140427164","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-22DOI: 10.3389/fphot.2024.1332830
A. Soiland, I. de Meatza, Ane Muguruza, Yijiang Xu, Martin Bellmann
In this work, industrially processed silicon kerf loss (abbreviated to silicon kerf) from the photovoltaic industry is assessed as an anode material for the lithium-ion battery (LIB). The study includes both a characterization of processed silicon kerf from different sources and a comparison with commercially available nano-sized silicon (40 and 100 nm) in electrochemical testing. Such a direct comparison between these two silicon types in electrochemical testing provides a new insight into silicon kerf as an anode material. The silicon kerf particles are flake-like with varying lengths, with a mean particle size (d50) measured to ∼700 nm and a dimension of thickness of a few tens of nanometers. However, the specific surface area ranging from 20 to 26 m2/g is comparable to that of a silicon material of size ∼100 nm. The silicon oxide layer surrounding the particles was measured to 1–2 nm in thickness and, therefore, is in a suitable range for the LIB. In terms of electrochemical performance, the silicon kerf is on par with the commercial nano-sized silicon, further supporting the size evaluation based on the specific surface area considerations. Initial discharge capacities in the range 700–750 mAh/g (close to the theoretical value for the 12 wt% Si mixture with graphite) and first cycle efficiencies of 86%–92% are obtained. The cycling stability is comparable between the two materials, although the differential voltage analysis (DVA) of the galvanostatic data reveals that only the silicon kerf samples maintain silicon activity beyond 120 cycles. This study shows that industrially processed silicon kerf has characteristics similar to nano-sized silicon without reducing the size of the silicon kerf particles themselves. Considering its low carbon footprint and potentially lower cost, it can thus be an attractive alternative to nano-sized silicon as an anode material for the LIB industry.
{"title":"Silicon kerf loss as a potential anode material for lithium-ion batteries","authors":"A. Soiland, I. de Meatza, Ane Muguruza, Yijiang Xu, Martin Bellmann","doi":"10.3389/fphot.2024.1332830","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fphot.2024.1332830","url":null,"abstract":"In this work, industrially processed silicon kerf loss (abbreviated to silicon kerf) from the photovoltaic industry is assessed as an anode material for the lithium-ion battery (LIB). The study includes both a characterization of processed silicon kerf from different sources and a comparison with commercially available nano-sized silicon (40 and 100 nm) in electrochemical testing. Such a direct comparison between these two silicon types in electrochemical testing provides a new insight into silicon kerf as an anode material. The silicon kerf particles are flake-like with varying lengths, with a mean particle size (d50) measured to ∼700 nm and a dimension of thickness of a few tens of nanometers. However, the specific surface area ranging from 20 to 26 m2/g is comparable to that of a silicon material of size ∼100 nm. The silicon oxide layer surrounding the particles was measured to 1–2 nm in thickness and, therefore, is in a suitable range for the LIB. In terms of electrochemical performance, the silicon kerf is on par with the commercial nano-sized silicon, further supporting the size evaluation based on the specific surface area considerations. Initial discharge capacities in the range 700–750 mAh/g (close to the theoretical value for the 12 wt% Si mixture with graphite) and first cycle efficiencies of 86%–92% are obtained. The cycling stability is comparable between the two materials, although the differential voltage analysis (DVA) of the galvanostatic data reveals that only the silicon kerf samples maintain silicon activity beyond 120 cycles. This study shows that industrially processed silicon kerf has characteristics similar to nano-sized silicon without reducing the size of the silicon kerf particles themselves. Considering its low carbon footprint and potentially lower cost, it can thus be an attractive alternative to nano-sized silicon as an anode material for the LIB industry.","PeriodicalId":73099,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in photonics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140439794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-19DOI: 10.3389/fphot.2024.1359595
Zihan Xiong, Lan Yu, Sha An, Juanjuan Zheng, Ying Ma, Vicente Micó, Peng Gao
Counting and analyzing of blood cells, as well as their subcellular structures, are indispensable for understanding biological processes, studying cell functions, and diagnosing diseases. In this paper, we combine digital holographic microscopy with cell segmentation guided by the Sobel operator using Dice coefficients for automatic threshold selection and aimed to automatic counting and analysis of blood cells in flow and different kinds of cells in the static state. We demonstrate the proposed method with automatic counting and analyzing rat red blood cells (RBCS) flowing in a microfluidic device, extracting quickly and accurately the size, concentration, and dry mass of the sample in a label-free manner. The proposed technique was also demonstrated for automatic segmentation of different cell types, such as COS7 and Siha. This method can help us in blood inspection, providing pathological information in disease diagnosis and treatment.
{"title":"Automatic identification and analysis of cells using digital holographic microscopy and Sobel segmentation","authors":"Zihan Xiong, Lan Yu, Sha An, Juanjuan Zheng, Ying Ma, Vicente Micó, Peng Gao","doi":"10.3389/fphot.2024.1359595","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fphot.2024.1359595","url":null,"abstract":"Counting and analyzing of blood cells, as well as their subcellular structures, are indispensable for understanding biological processes, studying cell functions, and diagnosing diseases. In this paper, we combine digital holographic microscopy with cell segmentation guided by the Sobel operator using Dice coefficients for automatic threshold selection and aimed to automatic counting and analysis of blood cells in flow and different kinds of cells in the static state. We demonstrate the proposed method with automatic counting and analyzing rat red blood cells (RBCS) flowing in a microfluidic device, extracting quickly and accurately the size, concentration, and dry mass of the sample in a label-free manner. The proposed technique was also demonstrated for automatic segmentation of different cell types, such as COS7 and Siha. This method can help us in blood inspection, providing pathological information in disease diagnosis and treatment.","PeriodicalId":73099,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in photonics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140449964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-13DOI: 10.3389/fphot.2024.1331030
José Manuel Míguez Novoa, Volker Hoffmann, E. Forniés, L. Méndez, Marta Tojeiro, Fernando Ruiz, Manuel Funes, Carlos del Cañizo, David Fuertes Marrón, Nerea Dasilva Villanueva, Luis Jaime Caballero, Bülent Arıkan, Raşit Turan, Hasan Hüseyin Canar, Guillermo Sánchez Plaza
Upgraded metallurgical-grade silicon (UMG-Si) has the potential to reduce the cost of photovoltaic (PV) technology and improve its environmental profile. In this contribution, we summarize the extensive work made in the research and development of UMG technology for PV, which has led to the demonstration of UMG-Si as a competitive alternative to polysilicon for the production of high-efficiency multicrystalline solar cells and modules. The tailoring of the processing steps along the complete Ferrosolar’s UMG-Si manufacturing value chain is addressed, commencing with the purification stage that results in a moderately compensated material due to the presence of phosphorous and boron. Gallium is added as a dopant at the crystallization stage to obtain a uniform resistivity profile of ∼1 Ω cm along the ingot height. Defect engineering techniques based on phosphorus diffusion gettering are optimized to improve the bulk electronic quality of UMG-Si wafers. Black silicon texturing, compatible with subsequent gettering and surface passivation, is successfully implemented. Industrial-type aluminum back surface field (Al-BSF) and passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) solar cells are fabricated, achieving cell efficiencies in the range of those obtained with conventional polysilicon substrates. TOPCon solar cell processing key steps are also tested to further evaluate the potential of the material in advanced device architectures beyond the PERC. Degradation mechanisms related to light exposure and operation temperature are shown to be insignificant in UMG PERC solar cells when a regeneration step is implemented, and PV modules with several years of outdoor operation demonstrated similar performance to reference ones based on poly-Si. Life cycle analysis (LCA) is carried out to evaluate the environmental impact of UMG-based PV technology when compared to poly-Si-based technology, considering different scenarios for both the manufacturing sites and the PV installations.
升级冶金级硅（UMG-Si）具有降低光伏（PV）技术成本和改善其环境状况的潜力。在本文中，我们总结了在研究和开发光伏用超纯冶金级硅技术方面所做的大量工作，这些工作已证明超纯冶金级硅可替代多晶硅，用于生产高效多晶太阳能电池和组件。从提纯阶段开始，由于磷和硼的存在，会产生一种中等补偿的材料。在结晶阶段添加镓作为掺杂剂，以获得沿铸锭高度 ∼1 Ω cm 的均匀电阻率曲线。优化了基于磷扩散烧结的缺陷工程技术，以提高 UMG-Si 硅片的电子质量。成功实现了与后续烧结和表面钝化兼容的黑硅纹理。制造出了工业型铝背表面场（Al-BSF）和钝化发射极及背电池（PERC）太阳能电池，电池效率达到了传统多晶硅衬底的效率范围。此外，还测试了 TOPCon 太阳能电池加工的关键步骤，以进一步评估该材料在 PERC 以外的先进设备架构中的潜力。结果表明，当采用再生步骤时，UMG PERC 太阳能电池中与光照射和工作温度有关的降解机制并不明显，而且在室外工作数年的光伏模块显示出与基于多晶硅的参考模块相似的性能。进行了生命周期分析（LCA），以评估基于 UMG 的光伏技术与基于多晶硅的技术相比对环境造成的影响，同时考虑到生产基地和光伏装置的不同情况。
{"title":"Production of upgraded metallurgical-grade silicon for a low-cost, high-efficiency, and reliable PV technology","authors":"José Manuel Míguez Novoa, Volker Hoffmann, E. Forniés, L. Méndez, Marta Tojeiro, Fernando Ruiz, Manuel Funes, Carlos del Cañizo, David Fuertes Marrón, Nerea Dasilva Villanueva, Luis Jaime Caballero, Bülent Arıkan, Raşit Turan, Hasan Hüseyin Canar, Guillermo Sánchez Plaza","doi":"10.3389/fphot.2024.1331030","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fphot.2024.1331030","url":null,"abstract":"Upgraded metallurgical-grade silicon (UMG-Si) has the potential to reduce the cost of photovoltaic (PV) technology and improve its environmental profile. In this contribution, we summarize the extensive work made in the research and development of UMG technology for PV, which has led to the demonstration of UMG-Si as a competitive alternative to polysilicon for the production of high-efficiency multicrystalline solar cells and modules. The tailoring of the processing steps along the complete Ferrosolar’s UMG-Si manufacturing value chain is addressed, commencing with the purification stage that results in a moderately compensated material due to the presence of phosphorous and boron. Gallium is added as a dopant at the crystallization stage to obtain a uniform resistivity profile of ∼1 Ω cm along the ingot height. Defect engineering techniques based on phosphorus diffusion gettering are optimized to improve the bulk electronic quality of UMG-Si wafers. Black silicon texturing, compatible with subsequent gettering and surface passivation, is successfully implemented. Industrial-type aluminum back surface field (Al-BSF) and passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) solar cells are fabricated, achieving cell efficiencies in the range of those obtained with conventional polysilicon substrates. TOPCon solar cell processing key steps are also tested to further evaluate the potential of the material in advanced device architectures beyond the PERC. Degradation mechanisms related to light exposure and operation temperature are shown to be insignificant in UMG PERC solar cells when a regeneration step is implemented, and PV modules with several years of outdoor operation demonstrated similar performance to reference ones based on poly-Si. Life cycle analysis (LCA) is carried out to evaluate the environmental impact of UMG-based PV technology when compared to poly-Si-based technology, considering different scenarios for both the manufacturing sites and the PV installations.","PeriodicalId":73099,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in photonics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139780708","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-13DOI: 10.3389/fphot.2024.1331030
José Manuel Míguez Novoa, Volker Hoffmann, E. Forniés, L. Méndez, Marta Tojeiro, Fernando Ruiz, Manuel Funes, Carlos del Cañizo, David Fuertes Marrón, Nerea Dasilva Villanueva, Luis Jaime Caballero, Bülent Arıkan, Raşit Turan, Hasan Hüseyin Canar, Guillermo Sánchez Plaza
Upgraded metallurgical-grade silicon (UMG-Si) has the potential to reduce the cost of photovoltaic (PV) technology and improve its environmental profile. In this contribution, we summarize the extensive work made in the research and development of UMG technology for PV, which has led to the demonstration of UMG-Si as a competitive alternative to polysilicon for the production of high-efficiency multicrystalline solar cells and modules. The tailoring of the processing steps along the complete Ferrosolar’s UMG-Si manufacturing value chain is addressed, commencing with the purification stage that results in a moderately compensated material due to the presence of phosphorous and boron. Gallium is added as a dopant at the crystallization stage to obtain a uniform resistivity profile of ∼1 Ω cm along the ingot height. Defect engineering techniques based on phosphorus diffusion gettering are optimized to improve the bulk electronic quality of UMG-Si wafers. Black silicon texturing, compatible with subsequent gettering and surface passivation, is successfully implemented. Industrial-type aluminum back surface field (Al-BSF) and passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) solar cells are fabricated, achieving cell efficiencies in the range of those obtained with conventional polysilicon substrates. TOPCon solar cell processing key steps are also tested to further evaluate the potential of the material in advanced device architectures beyond the PERC. Degradation mechanisms related to light exposure and operation temperature are shown to be insignificant in UMG PERC solar cells when a regeneration step is implemented, and PV modules with several years of outdoor operation demonstrated similar performance to reference ones based on poly-Si. Life cycle analysis (LCA) is carried out to evaluate the environmental impact of UMG-based PV technology when compared to poly-Si-based technology, considering different scenarios for both the manufacturing sites and the PV installations.
升级冶金级硅（UMG-Si）具有降低光伏（PV）技术成本和改善其环境状况的潜力。在这篇论文中，我们总结了在研究和开发光伏用 UMG 技术方面所做的大量工作，这些工作已证明 UMG-Si 在生产高效多晶太阳能电池和组件方面可替代多晶硅，具有很强的竞争力。从提纯阶段开始，由于磷和硼的存在，会产生一种中度补偿材料。在结晶阶段添加镓作为掺杂剂，以获得沿铸锭高度 ∼1 Ω cm 的均匀电阻率曲线。优化了基于磷扩散烧结的缺陷工程技术，以提高 UMG-Si 硅片的电子质量。成功实现了与后续烧结和表面钝化兼容的黑硅纹理。制造出了工业型铝背表面场 (Al-BSF) 和钝化发射极及背电池 (PERC) 太阳能电池，电池效率达到了传统多晶硅衬底的效率范围。此外，还测试了 TOPCon 太阳能电池加工的关键步骤，以进一步评估该材料在 PERC 以外的先进设备架构中的潜力。结果表明，当采用再生步骤时，UMG PERC 太阳能电池中与光照射和工作温度有关的降解机制并不明显，室外工作数年的光伏模块显示出与基于多晶硅的参考模块相似的性能。进行了生命周期分析（LCA），以评估基于 UMG 的光伏技术与基于多晶硅的技术相比对环境造成的影响，同时考虑到生产基地和光伏装置的不同情况。
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Pub Date : 2024-02-06DOI: 10.3389/fphot.2024.1323539
Jacob R. Bumgarner, Rhett C. White, Jordan A. Brown, Randy J. Nelson
Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a pervasive circadian rhythm disruptor. Exposure to ALAN is associated with detrimental effects on physiology and behavior, including disrupted metabolism, immune function, endocrine function, and pain behavior. Given the detrimental effects of ALAN and other circadian rhythm disruptors on pain, we sought to understand how ALAN may alter the progression and severity of diabetic neuropathy. To do this, we used a previously reported high-fat diet and streptozotocin injection protocol to induce a type II diabetic phenotype in ∼8 week old female and male mice and then exposed the mice to either control or ALAN lighting conditions in 14:10 h light-dark cycles for 4 weeks. Male mice housed in control conditions exhibited reduced responsiveness to cold pain; in contrast, ALAN blunted this effect in male mice. ALAN exposure also elevated blood glucose and altered body mass loss in male mice. These effects were not present in female mice. The results of this study highlight the need to consider and study ALAN exposure and sex as a biological variable as risk factors in the treatment and mitigation of pain.
夜间人造光（ALAN）是一种普遍存在的昼夜节律干扰源。暴露于 ALAN 会对生理和行为产生有害影响，包括破坏新陈代谢、免疫功能、内分泌功能和疼痛行为。鉴于 ALAN 和其他昼夜节律干扰物对疼痛的有害影响，我们试图了解 ALAN 可能如何改变糖尿病神经病变的进展和严重程度。为此，我们使用了之前报道过的高脂饮食和链脲佐菌素注射方案，诱导 8 周大的雌性和雄性小鼠形成 II 型糖尿病表型，然后将小鼠置于 14:10 h 光暗循环的对照组或 ALAN 光照条件下 4 周。在对照组条件下饲养的雄性小鼠对冷痛的反应性降低；相反，ALAN 则削弱了雄性小鼠对冷痛的反应性。接触 ALAN 还会升高雄性小鼠的血糖，并改变其体重减轻的情况。雌性小鼠则没有这些影响。这项研究的结果突出表明，在治疗和减轻疼痛的过程中，有必要考虑和研究作为生物变量的 ALAN 暴露和性别风险因素。
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