Abstract: A deposition method for vapor deposition of a film of fluorine-containing glass on a substrate in which said substrate is put into contact with fluxs of the vapors of the various constituents of said glass, wherein said vapor fluxs are emitted simultaneously from at least two crucibles, a first crucible containing a host bath and main metal fluorides that constitute said fluorine-containing glass, and at least one second crucible containing dopants constituted by at least one rare earth halide.

Abstract: A super-capacitor comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, both made of a p-doped electron conductive polymer, and an electrolyte. The electrolyte comprises an organic redox compound soluble in the electrolyte in an amount of at least 10.sup.-3 mole per liter. The redox potential of the redox compound lies in a non-capacitive region of the electron conductive polymer. The redox compound is reduced in a reversible manner at the negative electrode when the potential of the negative electrode is equal to or less than the redox potential of the redox compound, and the redox compound is oxidized in a reversible manner at the positive electrode when the potential of the positive electrode is equal to or more than the redox potential of the redox compound.

Abstract: A method of producing a microcrystalline RBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.y structure where R denotes a lanthanide chosen from Y, La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu and where y has a value between 6.9 and 7 starts with a powder of composition [x(123) ; (1-x) (7BaO--18CuO] where (123) denotes the 123 phase of RBaB.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.y and where the value of x is between 0.01 and 1. The powder is compressed and sintered at a temperature below 920.degree. C. (the BaCuO.sub.2 and CuO binary eutectic temperature) to form a sample. The sample is placed on an oxide of the lanthanide R. The sample and its support undergo heat treatment enabling chemical reaction between the liquid part of the sample and its support whereby substantially all of the liquid part is consumed and highly regular 123 monocrystals are obtained. Cooling is applied. At least one annealing is carried out in pure oxygen at a temperature between 350.degree. C. and 500.degree. C. to obtain the orthorhombic form characteristic of RBa.sub.2 Cu.

Abstract: The present invention provides a proton-conducting polymer solid electrolyte comprising a polyether which has two terminal primary amine functions and which is cross-linked by a curing agent having two epoxy functions, an acid being incorporated into said cross-linked polyether.

Abstract: A primary odometer velocity is measured by a sensor on an odometer member travelling over terrain. The velocity is corrected by a calculating unit to take account of the inclination of the terrain at the point of contact where the member is in contact with the terrain. The inclination is measured by means of force sensors, e.g. measuring the forces applied to said member as a whole. An inertial unit supplies the orientation and the angular velocities of the vehicle. The device has application to navigation of all-terrain robots.

Abstract: The invention provides copolymers having magnetic properties, said copolymers containing aminoaromatic groups, and being based on a structural unit comprising:a first group of aminoaromatic compounds chosen from aniline derivatives and the corresponding iminoquinone forms; anda second group of substituted aminoaromatic compounds chosen from substituted amino compounds containing at least two condensed benzene rings, substituted polycyclic compounds containing at least one aniline structural unit in their structure, compounds derived from aniline and carrying a substituent bonded to the ring by means of an ethynylidene or paraphenylene link, and the corresponding iminoquinone compounds.

Abstract: A melting-and-solidification manufacturing method for manufacturing an ingot of a high critical temperature superconductive oxide belonging, in particular, to the YBaCuO, BiSrCaCuO, or TlBaCaCuO families, wherein:an ingot of oxide having the appropriate stoichiometery is used;the ingot is held horizontally by levitation on a film of gas inside a furnace;the ingot is melted;a vertical thermal gradient is established inside said furnace such that nucleation starts at the bottom portion of said ingot;while maintaining said thermal gradient, the overall temperature of the furnace is lowered at a rate of not more than 0.1.degree. C./hour down to the temperature which corresponds to complete ingot solidification; andfinally, conventional oxygenation treatment is applied to said ingot.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a frequency-selective directing coupler (10) of the evanescent-wave type for injecting a low-frequency data-carrying wave and a high-frequency optical-pump wave that are guided by respective single-frequency waveguides (2, 4) into the same amplifying fiber (6). An isolation coupler (20) of the same type is inserted in series between the directing coupler (10) and at least one of the single-frequency waveguides (4) so as to transmit the corresponding wave selectively thereto. The invention applies in particular to making amplifiers for an optical-fiber transmission line.

Abstract: A method of making a high critical temperature superconductive fiber by fiber drawing a material of the family Bi.sub.x Pb.sub.y Sr.sub.2 Ca.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.z where 1.9.ltoreq. x+y.ltoreq. 2.3. In the method a preform is made, fiber drawing is performed, and the resulting fiber is annealed in air, wherein said preform is constituted by a block of vitreous material having the formula Bi.sub.x P.sub.y Sr.sub.2 Ca.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.z where: 1.9.ltoreq. x+y.ltoreq. 2.3 and a tube surrounding said block and made of a vitreous material having the formula Bi.sub.x' Sr.sub.2 Ca.sub.1 Cu.sub.2 O.sub.z' with 1.5.ltoreq. x'.ltoreq. 2.2.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods of enabling fractal objects to be manufactured. In accordance with the invention, the method consists in performing repeated scaling reductions on a parent generator defined by means of three-dimensional coordinates, in storing the coordinates of each daughter object obtained by such a scaling reduction, and in repeating the scaling reduction until the dimensions of a daughter object become less than a given threshold value. The coordinates of the daughter objects are then supplied to stereolithographic apparatus which manufactures the fractal object defined by assembling together the daughter objects.

Abstract: The device for discharging electrochemical cells (20, 21) into a load (Rc) is of the type comprising switching means (25, 26), each cooperating with one of the electrochemical cells (20, 21), these switching means (25, 26) being controlled sequentially by a generator (23) providing N pulse trains (SC1, SC2) offset relative to one another, each electrochemical cell (20, 21) being connected to the load (Rc) for the duration of a pulse, through the switching means (25, 25) with which the cell cooperates. According to the invention, it is characterized in that the pulses of each train (SC1, SC2) have an interval of overlap with the pulses of another train (SC1, SC2), such that the load (Rc) is constantly supplied by at least one of the N electro-chemical cells (20, 21), the overlap interval being very much smaller than the duration of each of said pulses.

Abstract: A method of preparing a powder of YBaCuO [phase 123] suitable for forming by drawing-lamination, which includes:preparing a powdered reactive mixture of precursors of purity greater than 99% and with a stoichiometry accurate to within less than 1%,binding this powdered reactive mixture to form intermediate pieces less than two millimeters in thickness which are placed in an oven so that their contact with a support is as small as possible,a heat treating the intermediate pieces,dry grinding the intermediate pieces to obtain grains of said powder with an average diameter of the order of a few .mu.m.

Abstract: Primary molecules are formed by sublimation in a sublimation chamber (2), they are then transferred at a transfer flow-rate to a decomposition head (10) at a higher temperature, and they are transformed therein into secondary molecules that are lighter in weight to form molecular beams (16). In accordance with the invention, the transfer flow-rate is adjusted by adjusting an effective vector flow-rate which is the vector flow-rate of a vector gas inserted into the sublimation chamber via a feed tube (26) and sucked out via a suction tube (30). The invention applies, in particular, to making III-V type semiconductor components by molecular beam epitaxy.

Abstract: A rechargeable electrochemical cell comprising a cathode, a liquid electrolyte with a solute and at least one solvent, an anode containing a highly crystallized carbon-containing material capable of intercalating lithium ions, said electrochemical cell being characterized by the fact that the surface of said carbon-containing material is provided with a thin layer which is impermeable to said electrolyte solvent, but which allows lithium to be diffused.

Abstract: An opto-electronic converter comprises a mesoscopic resonant cavity constituted by a quantum wire made of a material that is a conductor or a semiconductor and situated between two electron mirrors of nanometer size, the said wire being interrupted over a gap having a width of a few tens of .ANG., into which gap a photosensitive material is inserted, tabs being provided at the ends of said cavity to pass an electrical current.

Abstract: An electrochemical secondary cell using lithium and a liquid organic electrolyte, the cell being of the cylindrical or prismatic type, wherein its separator comprises a microporous film of polyolefin next to the lithium anode and a film of cross-linked polymer that swells in the electrolyte and which applies pressure against the electrodes. The cross-linked polymer may be an ion conducting polymer including a polyether with two terminal amine functions.

Abstract: A widened output mode semiconductor optical component such as a laser includes superposed active and passive waveguides. The width of the active waveguide decreases in a rear part of a mode transition section to couple a "narrow" optical mode which is amplified and guided by the active waveguide to a "wide" mode which is guided by the passive waveguide and which has a mode size greater than that of the narrow mode. The width of the passive waveguide then decreases in a front part of this section to couple the wide mode to an even wider circular mode. The invention finds applications in the fabrication of optical heads for optical fiber telecommunication networks.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a component of the tape or filament kind out of a material based on a superconducting oxide having a high critical temperature, wherein said material is formed while it is in the vitreous state,the method being characterized by the fact that the material is subsequently crystallized:in a first step under a magnetic field and at a temperature T.sub.l lying between the vitreous transition temperature T.sub.g and the crystallization temperature T.sub.x, during which step isolated microcrystallites of submicroscopic size develop and their c axes orient themselves parallel to one another because of said applied magnetic field; andin a second step at a temperature T.sub.2 close to the crystallization temperature, in which the existing nuclei grow while retaining the texture imparted to them during said first step.

Abstract: An activatable lithium/bromine trifluoride electrochemical cell comprising an anode of lithium or lithium alloy, a positive current collector based on carbon black, and an electrolyte based on bromine trifluoride, wherein the quantity of bromine trifluoride is not less than 200 ml per dm.sup.2 of anode area, and that means are provided for causing the electrolyte to circulate through said cell at a linear speed of not less than 0.5 cm/second. Discharge yield is doubled [curve B] compared with a prior art cell [curve A].

Abstract: A rechargeable electrochemical cell comprising a cathode, an anode based on a carbon-containing material capable of intercalating lithium ions, and an electrolyte constituted by a cross-linked polymer incorporating a lithium salt and a dipolar aprotic solvent. At least the surface of the carbon-containing material is less crystallized than graphite so as to be impermeable to said solvent, while allowing the lithium to diffuse.