Abstract: The crystallization system includes a crucible provided with a bottom and with side walls designed to contain the material to be solidified and a device for creating a main thermal gradient inside the crucible in a perpendicular direction to the bottom of the crucible. An additional inductive heating device is arranged at the level of the side walls of the crucible facing the liquid material and without overlapping with the solid phase. This additional inductive heating device is configured to heat a part of the crystalline material located in the vicinity of the triple contact line between the liquid material, the solidified material and the crucible so that the interface between the liquid material and the solidified material forms a convex meniscus in the vicinity of the triple contact line.

Abstract: Silicon sintering method, without applying an external force, comprising placement of a silicon sample in a furnace, then heat treatment of this sample at, at least one temperature and at least one partial pressure of oxidising species to control the thickness of a silicon oxide layer on its surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming, on the surface of one of the sides of a silicon substrate, a fibrous layer having a mean lattice pitch of no more than 2 ?m, without requiring soaking. The invention also relates to devices, in particular photovoltaic cells, comprising a silicon substrate produced by means of such a method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a photovoltaic cell (1) which includes at least one wafer (2) of a semi-conductor material, with a front surface (21) intended for receiving incident light and a back surface (22) opposite said front surface, as well as to methods for manufacturing said photovoltaic cell. The back surface (22) includes an electric contact (32) and a structure (4), referred to as an optical structure, which is discrete and capable of redirecting the incident light towards the core of the wafer.

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 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: A silicon wafer for a photovoltaic cell is produced by a debinding step of a self-supported film formed of at least one main thin layer comprising at least 50% volume of silicon particles, devoid of silicon oxide and encapsulated in a polymer matrix protecting them against oxidation, followed by a sintering step to form the silicon wafer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for forming a nonstick coating, said coating being formed from grains of silicon carbide, which are surface-coated with a layer of silicon oxide. It also targets the materials having a coating formed by this process.

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

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell including a substrate composed of a semiconductor of a first type of conductivity including two main faces substantially parallel with one another, the substrate including a plurality of blind holes, openings of which are positioned in a single one of the two main faces, and the blind holes filled by a semiconductor of a second type of conductivity opposed to the first type of conductivity forming an emitter of the photovoltaic cell. The substrate forms a base of the photovoltaic cell. First collector pins composed of a semiconductor of the second type of conductivity are in contact with the emitter of the photovoltaic cell, and second collector pins composed of a semiconductor of the first type of conductivity are in contact with the substrate and interdigitated with the first collector pins.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparing a self-supporting crystallized silicon thin film having a grain size of more than 1 mm. The invention also relates to the use of said method for preparing self-supporting silicon bands and to the bands thus obtained.

Abstract: Self-supported film and silicon wafer obtained by sintering. A silicon wafer for a photovoltaic cell is produced by a debinding step of a self-supported film formed of at least one main thin layer comprising at least 50% volume of silicon particles, devoid of silicon oxide and encapsulated in a polymer matrix protecting them against oxidation, followed by a sintering step to form the silicon wafer.

Abstract: Wafers of semi-conducting material are formed by moulding and directional crystallization from a liquid mass of this material. A seed, situated at the bottom of the crucible, presents an orientation along non-dense crystallographic planes. The mould is filled with the molten semi-conducting material by means of a piston or by creation of a pressure difference in the device. The mould is preferably coated with a non-wettable anti-adhesive deposit.

Abstract: Wafers of semi-conducting material are formed by moulding and directional crystallization from a liquid mass of this material. A seed, situated at the bottom of the crucible, presents an orientation along non-dense crystallographic planes. The mould is filled with the molten semi-conducting material by means of a piston or by creation of a pressure difference in the device. The mould is preferably coated with a non-wettable anti-adhesive deposit.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid single crystal of an electrically conductive material by pulling from a molten mass of this material, the material presenting atom clusters at melt. The method includes: a melt stage so as to obtain a molten mass, the melt stage procuring a colder zone of the molten mass, from which the single crystal will be pulled, and a hotter zone having sufficient temperature to melt the atom clusters; a stage of application to the molten mass of a rotating magnetic field allowing the atom clusters to be displaced from the colder zone to the hotter zone; and a stage of growth by pulling of the single crystal after the atom clusters have been displaced from the colder zone to the hotter zone.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for manufacturing a solid single crystal of a material which is electrically conductive in the molten state, by pulling from a molten mass of this material, the material presenting atom clusters at melt, the method including: