Finger Spacing Research Articles

Evaluation of hot and cold sensation of hand in type 2 diabetic patients in age group of 40-80 years

Introduction: The aim of the study is to find out the effect of Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) on the hot and cold sensation of hand. Material and Method: Total100 subjects in the age group of 40-80 year, both male and female were included in this study. Subjects were divided into 2 groups. Group A: 50 subjects diagnosed type 2 diabetic mellitus. Group B: 50 normal healthy subjects investigated and diagnosed Non-diabetic mellitus. Before the start of the procedure, detailed neuro-musculoskeletal evaluation was done to meet inclusion and exclusion criteria and those who were ready to be part of the study, the written informed consent was obtained from them. Rolyan hot and cold discrimination kit was used to examine hot and cold sensation of both handsat pulp of index finger, little finger and dorsal web space. Result: There was loss of hot & cold sensation in 10% subjects of T2DM group at index and little finger bilaterally and all these subjects have the duration of diabetes >15yr. Conclusion: loss of sensation may lead to injuries of diabetic hands. Hand care should be thought to the patients to prevent injuries to the hand. Keywords: Type 2 diabetes, Hot and cold sensation, Diabetic hand.

Skill of donning surgical gloves amongst residents: a neglected skill

Background: Sepsis is a preventable cause of morbidity and mortality. Sepsis causes approximately 1 million new-born deaths annually. The global prevalence of maternal sepsis is 4.4% causing more than 5.7 million cases and one tenth of maternal deaths annually. Skin preparation, shaving and wound closure were some factors involved in surgical site infections. But the technique of wearing gloves in a sterile way has not received enough attention. Hence this cross sectional observational study was undertaken to assess the awareness and proficiency in this technique among the residents.Methods: 104 post graduate students from the departments of General Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Anaesthesiology from two medical colleges were administered a questionnaire and also were observed one at a time with a checklist in an OSCE station. Study was conducted in several sessions over a period of 2 months.Results: None of them were formally taught this technique. 36 (34.56%) were informally taught by seniors. 7 (6.72%) tore the glove while wearing. 39 (37.44%) put two fingers in one finger space. 42 (40.32%) touched bare skin with gloved hands while wearing. 54 (51.84%) touched bare skin with used surface of the glove while removing.Conclusions: Awareness about technique and skill of donning sterile gloves among residents of various specialities are not satisfactory. It is recommended to teach this skill as soon as the students enter medical school in a strict and formal way and monitor their proficiency throughout their training period.

Investigations of the effects of electrode geometry and mechanical stress on Antimony doped Zinc Oxide nanostructures based MSM UV photodetectors fabricated on flexible substrates

In this study, the fabrication and structural characterization of Antimony (Sb) doped Zinc Oxide (ZnO) based interdigitated Metal-Semiconductor-Metal (MSM) Ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors are reported. Sb doped p-ZnO nanostructures were grown using the sol-gel and hydrothermal methods on flexible ITO/PET substrates. Aluminium (Al) interdigitated contacts of thickness 20 nm, were deposited using the thermal evaporation technique to realise planar MSM structures. The structural morphology and element analysis of the as-prepared samples were studied using XRD, FESEM and EDS methods. At an applied magnetic field of 1 T, the Hall measurements revealed that the device had a resistivity of 2.0697 × 10−3 Ω·cm, a hole mobility of 1922 m2/(V·s), and hole concentration of 0.1571 × 1019 cm−3. The optoelectrical characterization (without and with 365 nm of UV light) was performed on the MSM photodetectors with different finger electrode spacing i.e. gap sizes (0.1 cm, 0.2 cm and 0.3 cm). The results show that the device with finger spacing of 0.1 cm exhibited the maximum photocurrent. The responsivity and external-quantum-efficiency were calculated as 3.797 A/W and 1292% respectively. The flexible device was subjected to mechanical stress, and the dark current and photocurrent were measured for various bending/ convex arc angles (29.98⁰, 48.72⁰, 64.96⁰ and 97.45⁰). It was observed that the dark current and photocurrent reduce with the increase in bending angles. The current values were reproducible even with repeated flexing and relaxing of the device. This proved that the adhesion of the active layer of Sb doped p-ZnO to the ITO/PET substrate is good, which makes it a good device.

High performance photodetectors constructed on atomically thin few-layer MoSe2 synthesized using atomic layer deposition and a chemical vapor deposition chamber

Two-dimensional (2D) atomic layered transition metal dichalcogenides are promising candidates for use in next generation optoelectronics. However, the low responsivity observed in monolayer MoSe2 photodetectors (PDs) requires strategies to enhance photoelectric performance. Here, we introduce a method to produce few-layer MoSe2 with large continuous area for high-performance optoelectronic devices, using atomic layer deposition (ALD) and a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber. The as-synthesized ultrathin MoSe2 films were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), revealing six polycrystalline layers of hexagonal structure and with an interlayer spacing of 0.66 nm. Few-layer MoSe2 metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) PDs were prepared with different optically active areas. The PD with a finger spacing of 5 μm exhibited remarkable performance with responsivity, response time, and detectivity of 859 mA/W, 38 ms, and 1.55 × 1011 jones, respectively, making these PDs significantly superior to most previously described MoSe2 PDs and many other 2D semiconductors devices. The use of large-area films and the facile fabrication process described here present a viable route to mass production, opening avenues to develop atomically thin MoSe2 PDs for industrial applications.

Solar Energy Education Through a Cloud-Based Desktop Virtual Reality System

The sustained growth of the solar energy industry has created the need to formalize solar energy education. This paper elucidates a novel, cloud-based, virtual reality (VR) pedagogical system that provides students with the fundamentals of solar or Photovoltaic (PV) cells, solar (PV) modules, and solar (PV) array installation configurations. The VR system was developed using Unity3d software and was integrated with a Learning Management System (LMS). The system was hosted on the Google Cloud Platform. Students/users accessed the VR system using a standard web browser, making it widely accessible. The VR system consisted of self-guided laboratory modules covering electrical engineering fundamentals of solar (PV) cells such as output power losses as a function of finger length, width, depth, and spacing. Additionally, series and parallel solar (PV) cell connections to create desired voltage and current output, and orientation/tilt considerations of solar (PV) array installations were covered. Physics models to incorporate realistic solar energy behavior were programmed in the VR system. Live graphs showing how parameters affected total power output provided instant feedback to students. An adaptive formative assessment system that tested students’ application of electrical engineering fundamentals along with design skills was implemented. The system was used in a first year engineering fundamentals undergraduate class to make solar energy education accessible to early state engineering students. Data collected from the cloud system and student survey indicate growth in student engagement and students’ knowledge of introductory solar and electrical engineering topics.

Performance enhancement of ZnO‐based MSM photodiodes by optimizing structure parameters

AbstractA two‐dimensional numerical simulation based on the drift‐diffusion model has been used to study the influence of the structural parameters on the ZnO‐based thin film metal‐semiconductor‐metal photodiode's (MSM‐PD) optical performance. A comparative study on photodiodes (PDs) with different structural parameters (active layer thickness, finger spacing, and width) at different illumination and biasing conditions has been conducted. The results of the simulation disclose the limit of using thicker active layer and wider finger spacing to achieve superior responsivity. In fact, the responsivity rapidly saturates, and a significant degradation in the response time befalls on the performance of the PD. The investigation suggests an optimum structure for the MSM‐PD with about 0.2 μm active layer thickness, 5 μm finger spacing, and minimum achievable contact finger width.

Investigation and analysis of thermo-mechanical degradation of fingers in a photovoltaic module under thermal cyclic stress conditions

The reliability of current carrying fingers in a photovoltaic (PV) cell is essential to the overall performance of a PV module. The close proximity of the fingers to the solder layer makes it compelling to investigate its reliability under the premise of solder joint degradation, which is susceptible to high temperature transient variations. For the investigation of this particular aspect of finger reliability, a 3-D finite element model (FEM) of a PV module has been simulated under accelerated thermal cycle (TC) and outdoor weather temperature cycles. The FEM has been optimised to reduce computational complexity for accommodation of the small size of fingers in comparison to other components. Experimental TC test has also been performed on PV module batches to support the simulated findings by characterisation of observed finger breakages using illuminated current-voltage (I-V) and electroluminescence (EL) imaging technique. The finger-solder interface was identified to be vulnerable under prevailing thermal loading conditions, from both the simulated and experimental findings. To illustrate a larger spectrum of finger reliability, the influence of variable geometrical design parameters of finger and solder layer have been investigated for its dependence on electrical power loss and thermo-mechanical damage accumulation. It was demonstrated that solder thickness and finger spacing are key to the performance of fingers in a PV module. Under the outdoor weather temperature cycle the finger-solder interface was found to be more vulnerable to damage accumulation during the sunshine hours on a hot day as compared to a cold day. Further, an acceleration factor was estimated to establish a quantitative comparison between the outdoor weather temperature cycle and accelerated TC. This paper highlights the different aspects of thermo-mechanical degradation of fingers in PV modules under transient thermal conditions and is instrumental for optimization of variable design and packaging parameters for its enhanced reliability.

Effect of Dispersion on Solutal Convection in Porous Media

AbstractSolutal convection in porous media is thought to be controlled by the molecular Rayleigh number, Ram, the ratio of the buoyant driving force over diffusive dissipation. The mass flux should increase linearly with Ram and the finger spacing should decrease as . Instead, our experiments find that flux levels off at large Ram and finger spacing increases with Ram. Here we show that the convective pattern is controlled by a dispersive Rayleigh number, Rad, balancing buoyancy and dispersion. Increasing the bead size of the porous medium increases Ram but decreases Rad and hence coarsens the pattern. While the flux is predominantly controlled by Ram, the anisotropy of mechanical dispersion leads to an asymmetry in the pattern that limits the flux at large bead sizes.

Local low dose curcumin treatment improves functional recovery and remyelination in a rat model of sciatic nerve crush through inhibition of oxidative stress

Traumatic injuries to peripheral nerves are frequent, however, specific pharmacological treatments are currently lacking. Curcumin has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties but high oral doses are required for therapeutic use, particularly due to its low bioavailability. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of local and continuous treatment using low curcumin doses on functional recovery and nerve regeneration after rat sciatic nerve crush (SNC). Curcumin was administered by osmotic pumps with a catheter delivering the drug at the injury site (0.2 mg/day for 4 weeks). Functionally, early improvements in mechanical sensitivity, finger spacing of the injured paw, skilful walking and grip strength were observed in curcumin-treated animals. The curcumin treatment increased expression of compact myelin proteins (MPZ and PMP22), myelin sheath thickness and, correspondingly, increased motor and sensitive nerve conduction velocity. Microscopic analysis of gastrocnemius muscle indicated a curcumin-induced decrease in neurogenic lesions. Curcumin treatment reduced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (which were notably produced by macrophages), lipid peroxidation and increased expression of transcription factor Nrf2. In silico analyses indicated that curcumin combines all the characteristics required to be an efficient lipid peroxidation inhibitor at the heart of biological membranes, hence protecting their degradation due to ROS. This antioxidant capacity is likely to contribute to the beneficial effects of curcumin after SNC injury. These results demonstrate that, when administrated locally, low doses of curcumin represent a promising therapy for peripheral nerve regeneration.

Multiscale Modeling and Back Contact Design of Bifacial Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells

A back contact of bifacial silicon heterojunction solar cells was investigated and sensitivity of design studied by means of optical and electrical simulations. With 3-D optical simulations the realistic bifacial silicon heterojunction solar cell with metal fingers at the front and back was simulated. Specular illumination was applied at the front and Lambertian diffuse illumination at the back side. The advanced multiscale approach to combine 3-D optical simulations with 2-D electrical simulations is shown. The complete solar cell was simulated and the results were verified on fabricated test samples. The spacing of back finger contacts was optimized in order to improve the electrical performance of the bifacial silicon heterojunction solar cell with respect to albedo and bulk charge carrier lifetime. Furthermore, an outlook of front finger spacing and the finger width on series resistance is shown, while keeping the ratio of finger width and spacing fixed. The study shows the front finger spacing of 1 mm is the most reasonable spacing. By means of simulations the 24% apparent efficiency of the encapsulated cells with charge carrier lifetime in bulk higher than 7 ms is demonstrated and an outlook for the further optimization is discussed.

Flexible, planar integratable and all-solid-state micro-supercapacitors based on nanoporous gold/ manganese oxide hybrid electrodes via template plasma etching method

Along with the rapid development of miniaturization of mobile devices and wearable integrated electronics system, flexible integrated micro electrical energy storage devices with high-performance, deformability and cycling stability will be the technological trend for a long time in the future. In this work, template plasma etching method and electrochemical deposition method have been combined to fabricate nanoporous gold/manganese oxide interdigitated electrodes that can be easily utilized in flexible micro-supercapacitors(MSCs). These MSCs exhibit relatively high specific capacitance of 18.47 mF cm−2 in 0.5 M Na2SO4 electrolyte and 11.58 mF cm−2 in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/LiCl solid state electrolyte. A high energy density of 6.93 × 10−7 Wh cm−2 to 1.03 × 10−6 Wh cm−2 while power density ranging from 4.63 × 10−5 W cm−2 to 3.12 × 10−4 W cm−2. The NPG/MnO2 MSCs excellent long term cycling stability of 80.7% can be seen even after cycling for 5000 times. Moreover, the MSCs devices also demonstrate a sound flexibility and a superior frequency response (1.25 ms). In addition, the effects of various finger width and finger spacing on performance are compared, the critical importance of adjusting interdigitated structure is highlighted. This present research may provide an innovative avenue for the new prospective high-performance flexible micro-supercapacitors.

GaN Membrane Supported SAW Pressure Sensors With Embedded Temperature Sensing Capability

This paper presents the fabrication and characterization of a GHz operating surface acoustic wave (SAW)-based pressure sensor on a 1.2- $\mu \text{m}$ -thin GaN membrane. Two types of interdigitated transducers are manufactured using electron beam nanolithography to obtain finger and interdigit spacing widths, one with 170 nm and the other 200-nm-half pitch. Micromachining techniques are used to obtain the 1.2- $\mu \text{m}$ -thin membrane. The resonance frequency shift of the SAW, the pressure sensitivity, $s_{p}$ , as well as the pressure coefficient of frequency (PCF), were experimentally determined and analyzed, both for the Rayleigh as well as for the symmetrical Lamb propagation mode, in the 1 to 7 Bar pressure range. Record values for $s_{p}$ (up to 6 MHz/Bar) and PCF (up to 537 ppm/Bar) have been obtained, especially for the symmetrical Lamb propagation mode also due to the very high frequency operation (5–11.5 GHz). The effect of different orientations of the SAW device (in the $\textrm {[1}\bar {\textrm {1}} \textrm {00]}$ and $\textrm {[11}\bar {\textrm {2}} \textrm {0]}$ directions) on the frequency response and sensitivity is also analyzed. The possibility to determine simultaneously the pressure and the temperature with the same SAW structure operating as a dual sensor has been demonstrated.

Detection of nonlinear Lamb wave using a PVDF comb transducer

The detection of the nonlinear Lamb wave using a PVDF comb transducer is described in this research. The construction features of the PVDF comb transducer is firstly described. Then, the harmonic-frequency characteristic of PVDF comb transducer as the receiver in the nonlinear Lamb wave inspection is qualitatively investigated by the output-vector addition method. The theoretical result shows that, when the wavelength of the fundamental Lamb wave is equal to the PVDF comb transducer's finger spacing, the transducer can receive the fundamental wave. When the frequency of the higher-harmonic Lamb wave is integral multiple of the frequency of the fundamental one, the PVDF comb transducer can also receive the higher-harmonic Lamb wave. In order to verify the harmonic-frequency characteristic of the PVDF comb transducer, we conducted an experiment based on the cumulative effect of the nonlinear Lamb wave. That is, the value of the relative nonlinearity parameter will grow higher when the propagation distance increases. In order to receive the fundamental and second-harmonic Lamb waves, a PVDF comb transducer with special finger spacing was made and pasted on an aluminum plate surface. The desired Lamb-wave mode was generated by a wedge transducer. It had been observed that the value of relative nonlinearity parameter increased with the wave propagation distance. That means that the PVDF comb transducer had received both the fundamental and the second-harmonic Lamb waves. Both the theoretical and experimental results show that, because of the PVDF comb transducer's simultaneous response to the fundamental and second-harmonic signals, the nonlinear Lamb wave can be detected using a PVDF comb transducer.

Nanodiamonds Produced from Low-Grade Indian Coals

Coal is considered to be an abundantly available cheap feedstock for the fabrication of carbon nanomaterials. In this Letter, a report on the formation of nanodiamond from low-grade coals during low-power ultrasonic-assisted stimulation in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) followed by dialysis in 1 kDa is given. High resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), fluorescence (FL), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy analyses revealed the formation of carbon nanocrystals of monocrystalline and polycrystalline form with multiple plans. The nominal size of the carbon nanocrystals are found to be in the range of 4–15 nm. The planar spacing of the crystal lattice fingers is in the range of 2.0–2.3 A and are in good agreement with the lattice planes of various diamond phases including cubic diamond and lonsdaleite. The present work significantly contributes an additional synthetic methodology of nanodiamond pr...

High-Resolution Graphene Films for Electrochemical Sensing via Inkjet Maskless Lithography.

Solution-phase printing of nanomaterial-based graphene inks are rapidly gaining interest for fabrication of flexible electronics. However, scalable manufacturing techniques for high-resolution printed graphene circuits are still lacking. Here, we report a patterning technique [i.e., inkjet maskless lithography (IML)] to form high-resolution, flexible, graphene films (line widths down to 20 μm) that significantly exceed the current inkjet printing resolution of graphene (line widths ∼60 μm). IML uses an inkjet printed polymer lacquer as a sacrificial pattern, viscous spin-coated graphene, and a subsequent graphene lift-off to pattern films without the need for prefabricated stencils, templates, or cleanroom technology (e.g., photolithography). Laser annealing is employed to increase conductivity on thermally sensitive, flexible substrates [polyethylene terephthalate (PET)]. Laser annealing and subsequent platinum nanoparticle deposition substantially increases the electroactive nature of graphene as illustrated by electrochemical hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) sensing [rapid response (5 s), broad linear sensing range (0.1-550 μm), high sensitivity (0.21 μM/μA), and low detection limit (0.21 μM)]. Moreover, high-resolution, complex graphene circuits [i.e., interdigitated electrodes (IDE) with varying finger width and spacing] were created with IML and characterized via potassium chloride (KCl) electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Results indicated that sensitivity directly correlates to electrode feature size as the IDE with the smallest finger width and spacing (50 and 50 μm) displayed the largest response to changes in KCl concentration (∼21 kΩ). These results indicate that the developed IML patterning technique is well-suited for rapid, solution-phase graphene film prototyping on flexible substrates for numerous applications including electrochemical sensing.

The effect of finger spreading on drag of the hand in human swimming.

The effect of finger spread on overall drag on a swimmer's hand is relatively small, but could be relevant for elite swimmers. There are many sensitivities in measuring this effect. A comparison between numerical simulations, experiments and theory is urgently required to observe whether the effect is significant. In this study, the beneficial effect of a small finger spread in swimming is confirmed using three different but complementary methods. For the first time numerical simulations and laboratory experiments are conducted on the exact same 3D model of the hand with attached forearm. The virtual version of the hand with forearm was implemented in a numerical code by means of an immersed boundary method and the 3D printed physical version was studied in a wind tunnel experiment. An enhancement of the drag coefficient of 2% and 5% compared to the case with closed fingers was found for the numerical simulation and experiment, respectively. A 5% and 8% favorable effect on the (dimensionless) force moment at an optimal finger spreading of 10° was found, which indicates that the difference is more outspoken in the force moment. Moreover, an analytical model is proposed, using scaling arguments similar to the Betz actuator disk model, to explain the drag coefficient as a function of finger spacing.

Indications and Predictors for Reconstructive Surgery After Hand Burns

The objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence, indications, and type of reconstructive surgery and predictors of the outcomes of reconstructive surgery after hand burns. A retrospective cohort study was conducted that included all patients admitted with acute hand burns in the Dutch burn centers from January 1998 through December 2002. The details of reconstruction including frequency, timing, indication, and techniques were collected over a 10-year follow-up period. Hand burns were seen in 42% (n= 562 of 1,334) of all patients admitted with acute burns. Reconstructive surgery during the 10-year follow-up period was required in 15%. Contractures, especially of the first web space and little finger, were the most frequent indications for reconstructive surgery. Web spaces 1 to 3 and the little finger were the location most frequently operated on. The most frequently performed surgical technique was release of the contractures and the use of a random flap. Eighty percent of the reconstructive surgery patients required more than 1 reconstructive procedure, most often within 2 years of the initial injury. Secondary operations at the same location were required in 12%. In 40% of the patients, the first reconstructive surgery was performed within the first postburn year. Significant independent factors related to the need for reconstructive hand surgery were a larger area of full-thickness burns and surgical treatment of the hand during the acute phase. Reconstructive surgery was required in 15% of patients who sustained hand burns. The majority of the patients requiring reconstructive surgery of the hand needed 2 or more operations to correct the contractures of the hand. Contractures of the little finger and first web space were the locations most frequently operated on. Patients with more extensive burns and who required hand surgery during the acute phase were more likely to need reconstructive surgery. Prognostic IV.

Characterization of transparent conductive oxide films and their effect on amorphous/crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cells

Three different dopant indium oxide thin films were fabricated at low temperatures by reactive plasma deposition and sputtering. The optical and electrical characteristics of these films were analyzed as a function of the Hall electron concentration. Furthermore, these films were applied to amorphous/crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cells as transparent electrodes. Consequently, it was demonstrated that the high Hall mobility, high refractive index, and low extinction coefficient of transparent conductive oxide (TCO) films contribute to the high product of short-circuit current density and fill factor and conversion efficiency. Furthermore, it was found that the solar cell with a finger spacing of 1.9 mm on a 125 × 125 mm2 Si wafer is highly tolerant to TCO film resistivity when the electron concentration is less than 4.0 × 1020 cm−3.

Eutectic colony formation in systems with interfacial energy anisotropy: A phase field study

Instability of a binary eutectic solidification front to morphological perturbations due to rejection of a ternary impurity leads to the formation of eutectic colonies. Whereas, the instability dynamics and the resultant microstructural features are reasonably well understood for isotropic systems, several experimental observations point to the existence of colonies in systems with anisotropic interfaces. In this study, we extend the understanding of eutectic colonies to anisotropic systems, where certain orientations of the solid-liquid or solid-solid interfaces are associated with a lower free energy than the others. Through phase field simulations in 2D and 3D, we have systematically probed the colony formation dynamics and the resulting microstructures, as functions of the pulling velocity and the relative orientation of the equilibrium interfaces with that of the imposed temperature gradient. We find that in 2D, stabler finger spacings are selected with an increase in the magnitude of anisotropy introduced, either in the solid-liquid or in the solid-solid interface. The fingers have a well-defined orientation for the case of anisotropy in the solid-liquid interface, with no fixed orientations for the lamellae constituting the colony. For the case where anisotropy exists in the solid-solid interface, the lamellae tend to orient themselves along the direction of the imposed temperature gradient, with tilted solid-liquid interfaces from the horizontal. The 3D simulations reveal existence of eutectic spirals which might become tilted under certain orientations of the equilibrium interfaces. Our simulations are able to explain several key features observed in our experimental studies of solidification in Ni-Al-Zr alloy.

Soft imprinted Ag nanowire hybrid electrodes on silicon heterojunction solar cells

We demonstrate enhanced efficiencies in front-contacted silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells using silver nanowire-based hybrid electrodes. SHJ cells typically suffer from shading losses due to reflection from macroscopic sun-facing metal fingers, which must be closely spaced to avoid resistive losses in the transparent conductive electrode (TCE). Using substrate conformal imprint lithography (SCIL) we fabricate silver nanowire electrodes on practical scale (4.0 cm2) planar SHJ cells. These electrodes exhibit anomalous transmission and a 7-fold improvement in sheet conductance relative to a standard ITO layer, enabling larger finger spacings and reducing reflection losses without compromising the cell fill factor. Over 70% of the ITO is replaced with transparent SiNx, reducing the use of indium while improving the anti-reflective performance. Combined, the reduced shading and reflection raises the short circuit current density increases by 2.1 mA cm−2, yielding an absolute increase in cell efficiency of 1.0%. These engineered hybrid electrodes provide a practical pathway towards front-contacted SHJ cells with a reduced dependence on rare metals and high efficiencies.