Abstract: A method for manufacturing a silicon ingot having uniform phosphorus concentration. The method includes at least the steps of: (i) providing a quasi-uniform molten silicon bath containing at least phosphorus; and (ii) proceeding to the directional solidification of the silicon, wherein a speed (VI) for solidifying the silicon and a rate (JLV) of evaporation of the phosphorus at the liquid/vapor interface of the bath are controlled such that, at each moment of the directional solidification, the following equation is verified: VI=k?/(2?k) (E), wherein k? is the phosphorus transfer coefficient, and k is the distribution coefficient of the phosphorus in the silicon. Also relates to a silicon ingot having uniform phosphorus concentration across a height of at least 20 cm.

Abstract: A substrate characterised in that it is at least partially surface-coated with a coating containing at least one so-called “barrier” layer having silica and one or more material(s) X selected from among SiC, Si, Si3N4, in which layer the amount of X varies between 25-wt. % and 50.-wt. % in relation to the total weight of the barrier layer, the barrier layer being formed by grains of one or more materials X covered at least partially in a silica shell, and the barrier layer being in direct contact with the substrate.

Abstract: A method for preparing silicon substrate having average crystallite size greater than or equal to 20 ?m, including at least the steps of: (i) providing polycrystalline silicon substrate of which average grain size is less than or equal to 10 ?m; (ii) subjecting substrate to overall homogeneous plastic deformation, at temperature of at least 1000° C.; (iii) subjecting substrate to localised plastic deformation in plurality of areas of substrate, called external stress areas, spacing between two consecutive areas being at least 20 ?m, local deformation of substrate being strictly greater than overall deformation carried out in step (ii); step (iii) being able to be carried out subsequent to or simultaneous to step (ii); and (iv) subjecting substrate obtained in step (iii) to recrystallisation heat treatment in solid phase, at temperature strictly greater than temperature used in step (ii), in order to obtain desired substrate.

Abstract: A process for fabricating a wafer of thickness, including at least (i) providing a monolithic substrate made of p-doped silicon; (ii) forming crystal defects in predefined portions of at least one of the sides of the substrate; (iii) subjecting the subject to a thermal anneal; (iv) bringing all or some of one of the sides of the substrate into contact with hydrogen; (v) if necessary, promoting the diffusion of the hydrogen; and (vi) subjecting the substrate to a heat treatment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an epitactic silicon layer made up of crystallites with a size no lower than 20 ?m, including: providing a layer of crystallized silicon the surface of which, being inhomogeneous in terms of the size of the crystallites, is made up of large crystallites with a size no lower than 20 ?m, and small crystallites of a smaller size; forming, on the surface of the inhomogeneous silicon layer, a layer of at least one non-nucleating material for the silicon, the thickness of which is adjusted such to cover the entire outer surface of the small crystallites, while leaving all or part of the outer surface of the large crystallites accessible; and carrying out epitaxial growth of a silicon layer on the surface of the assembly obtained at the end of step, under conditions that are suitable for forming the expected epitactic layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming a crystallized silicon layer made up of grains having an average size of no less than 20 ?m, including at least the steps that comprise: (1) providing a layer of silicon to be (re)crystallized, the average grain size of which is less than 10 ?m; (2) placing said layer of silicon to be (re)crystallized in contact with a liquid composition at least partially made up of a metal solvent; and (3) exposing the assembly to a thermal treatment suitable for (re)crystallizing said layer of silicon with the expected grain size, characterized in that said thermal treatment includes heating the assembly made up of the layer of silicon in contact with said liquid composition to a temperature that is lower than 1410° C. and at least equal to the eutectic temperature in the solvent-silicon phase diagram.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for forming a crystallised silicon layer having a crystallite size higher than or equal to 100 ?m, by the epitaxial growth in a vapour phase, on the surface of at least one silicon substrate, including at least the steps: (i) providing a silicon substrate having a particle size higher than or equal to 100 ?m and including a metal impurities content of between 0 ppb and 1 ppm by weight; and (ii) forming the silicon layer on the surface of the substrate heated to a temperature of between 1000 and 1300° C., by decomposition of at least one silicon precursor by unit of an inductive plasma torch, the surface of the substrate for supporting the silicon layer being positioned close to the outlet of the plasma torch in step (ii).

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel materials intended for being contacted with liquid silicon and having a multilayer architecture, the intermediate layer of which is formed by a silicon carbide matrix containing at least one carbon nodule. The invention also relates to the method for preparing said materials.

Abstract: The restoration device of least one silicon-based photovoltaic solar cell includes a support of the cell, a heat source configured to heat the photovoltaic solar cell, and unit for generating charge carriers in the cell. To better accelerate the restoration kinetics of the solar cell, the device includes an ultrasonic transducer designed to generate ultrasonic waves propagating in the photovoltaic solar cell.

Abstract: The melting and solidification furnace for crystalline material includes a crucible having a bottom and side walls, and means for heating the crystalline material by magnetic induction. The furnace includes at least one lateral thermal insulation system arranged at the periphery of the crucible around the side walls. At least one lateral element of the lateral thermal insulation system moves with respect to the side walls between an insulating position and a position fostering thermal leakage. The lateral thermal insulation system has an electric conductivity of less than 1 S/m and a thermal conductivity of less than 15 W/m/K.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a monolithic silicon wafer (10) comprising multiple vertical junctions (2) having an alternation of n-doped areas and p-doped areas, including at least the steps of: (i) providing a liquid bath (100) including silicon, at least one n-type doping agent and at least one p-type doping agent; (ii) proceeding to directionally solidify the silicon in a direction (I), varying the convection-diffusion parameters thereof in order to alternate the growth of n-doped silicon layers (101) and p-doped silicon layers (102); and (iii) cutting a slice (104), parallel to the direction (I), of the multi-layer structure obtained at the end of the step (ii), such as to obtain said expected wafer (10).

Abstract: A restoration device of at least one silicon-based photovoltaic solar cell is provided with a support of the cell and a charge carriers generator configured to generate charge carriers in the photovoltaic solar cell. The device is further provided with a tank designed to be filled by a liquid, and the support is configured to place the photovoltaic solar cell in the liquid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an epitactic silicon layer made up of crystallites with a size no lower than 20 ?m, including: providing a layer of crystallised silicon the surface of which, being inhomogeneous in terms of the size of the crystallites, is made up of large crystallites with a size no lower than 20 ?m, and small crystallites of a smaller size; forming, on the surface of the inhomogeneous silicon layer, a layer of at least one non-nucleating material for the silicon, the thickness of which is adjusted such to cover the entire outer surface of the small crystallites, while leaving all or part of the outer surface of the large crystallites accessible; and carrying out epitaxial growth of a silicon layer on the surface of the assembly obtained at the end of step, under conditions that are suitable for forming the expected epitactic layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming a crystallised silicon layer made up of grains having an average size of no less than 20 ?m, including at least the steps that comprise: (1) providing a layer of silicon to be (re)crystallised, the average grain size of which is less than 10 ?m; (2) placing said layer of silicon to be (re)crystallised in contact with a liquid composition at least partially made up of a metal solvent; and (3) exposing the assembly to a thermal treatment suitable for (re)crystallising said layer of silicon with the expected grain size, characterised in that said thermal treatment includes heating the assembly made up of the layer of silicon in contact with said liquid composition to a temperature that is lower than 1410° C. and at least equal to the eutectic temperature in the solvent-silicon phase diagram.

Abstract: A solution for texturing silicon wafers configured to constitute photovoltaic (PV) cells. Silicon wafers can be produced, the surface of which include uniformly engraved patterns having a depth of between 5 and 50 ?m.

Abstract: An encapsulation device including two casings made of a flexible polymer material, each delimiting a sealed space, and at least one hydrophobic material filling each of the casings, the casings being stacked and sealingly interconnected at peripheral edges thereof, a sealed space then being defined between the two casings for receiving a device to be encapsulated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for purifying silicon, comprising at least the following steps: c) providing a container (1) that comprises silicon (10) in molten state, the container (1) having a longitudinal axis (X) and the silicon (10) in molten state defining a free surface (11) on the side opposite the bottom (4) of the container (1); d) imposing on the silicon (10) in molten state conditions that are favourable for the solidification thereof, the mean temporal velocity for the duration of step b) of propagating the solidification front (13) of the silicon, measured along the longitudinal axis (X) of the container (1), being no lower than 5 ?m/s, preferably 10 ?m/s; said method being characterised in that at least one stirring system (30) imposes, during all or part of step b), a flow of silicon (10) in molten state with a Reynolds number comprised between 3 104 and 3 106, preferably between 105 and 106.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of assembling carbon parts using a braze based on silicon carbide. The invention also relates to the parts assembled using such a method.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of forming, by liquid phase epitaxial growth, on the surface of a plurality of substrates, a layer of crystallised silicon having a grain size greater than or equal to 200 ?m, comprising at least the steps consisting of: (i) arranging a liquid bath formed from a liquid metal solvent phase in which liquid silicon is homogeneously dispersed; (ii) immersing, in the bath of step (i), said substrates (1), in such a way that each of the surfaces of the substrates (1) that need to be coated is in contact with the liquid bath, said surfaces being arranged parallel to one another, and perpendicularly to the interface (3) of the liquid bath (2) and the gas atmosphere (4) contiguous to said liquid bath or according to an inclination angle of at least 45° in relation to said interface (3); (iii) imposing, on the whole of step (ii), conditions conducive to the vaporisation of said liquid solvent phase and to the establishing of a natural convection movement of the liquid bath in the

Abstract: A multilayer structure including a substrate and a first stack of a layer of SiO2 and a layer of material of the SiOxNyHz type positioned between the substrate and the layer of SiO2, in which the layer of SiO2 and the layer of material of the SiOxNyHz type have thicknesses (eB, eA) such that the thickness of the layer of SiO2 is less than or equal to 60 nm, the thickness of the layer of material of the SiOxNyHz type (eB) is more than twice the thickness (eA) of the layer of SiO2, and the sum of the thicknesses of the layer of SiO2 and of the layer of material of the SiOxNyHz type is between 100 nm and 500 nm, and in which z is strictly less than the ratio (x+y)/5, and advantageously z is strictly less than the ratio (x+y)/10.