Abstract: A method that prints a functional element on a surface of a receiving area of a timepiece component of a timepiece contributing to regulating the rate of this timepiece includes preparing a solution containing a material constituting the functional element and depositing the prepared solution onto the surface of the receiving area. Specific properties of the solution are defined as a function of preparation criteria and include at least one structural modification feature of the timepiece component, at least one construction feature of the functional element on the receiving area, at least one structural feature of the material to be applied to the receiving area, and at least one feature of the receiving area of the component.

Abstract: A balance of a timepiece including an adjustment face provided with at least one recess provided for receiving a projected material for an implementation of an adjustment of the rate of the timepiece notably by the modification of the inertia and of the unbalance of the balance, the recess including an opening and a back notably a solid back or a back fully or partially forming an orifice, the back being at most partially visible from a position defined above the opening notably on a central axis of the opening.

Abstract: The mechanical timepiece regulator of the invention comprises a flexure bearing oscillator and a double detent escapement, the oscillator comprising a balance wheel (1) connected to an elastic suspension (2a, 2b) arranged to guide and apply a restoring force to the balance wheel (1) in a plane of oscillation. The escapement comprises an escape wheel (3) and an anchor (4) integrated into the balance wheel (1) and having two arms (5, 6) arranged to receive alternately the impulses of the escape wheel (3). The escapement furthermore comprises two detents (7, 8) alternately locking the escape wheel (3) between two impulses and interacting with the arms (5, 6) of the anchor to release the escape wheel (3) before each impulse, without direct interaction between the anchor and the escape wheel.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing a single-side-contacted photovoltaic device (1), comprising the steps of: a) providing a photovoltaically-active substrate (3) defining a plurality of alternating hole collecting zones (3a) and electron collecting zones (3b) arranged in parallel strips; b) depositing a conductive layer (5) across said zones; c) depositing at least one conductive track (9) extending along at least part of each of said zones (3a, 3b); d) selectively forming a dielectric layer (7) on each of said zones (3a, 3b), so as to leave an exposed area free of dielectric at an interface between adjacent zones (3a, 3b); e) etching said conductive layer (5) in said exposed areas; f) applying a plurality of interconnecting conductors (11a, 11b) so as to electrically interconnect at least a portion of said hole collecting zones (3a) with each other, and to electrically interconnect at least a portion of said electron collecting zones (3b) with each other.

Abstract: Gas measurement sensor including: a measurement chamber including an inlet and outlet for a gaseous sample to be measured; an infrared light source producing substantially collimated infrared light and to direct the infrared light into the measurement chamber; a beam splitter situated in the measurement chamber so as to receive the infrared light and to split the infrared light into a reference beam and a measurement beam such that the measurement beam has a longer pathway through the measurement chamber than the reference beam; a reference infrared detector arranged to receive the reference beam; and a measurement infrared detector arranged to receive the measurement beam. The beam splitter is arranged to reflect a first portion of the infrared light by specular reflection so as to form the reference beam, and to reflect a second portion of the infrared light by specular reflection so as to form the measurement beam.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing a photovoltaic cell, comprising the steps of: providing a photovoltaic conversion device; providing a transparent conductive oxide layer upon at least a first face of said photovoltaic conversion device; forming a self-assembled monolayer on said transparent conductive oxide layer, said self-assembled monolayer being based on molecules terminated by at least one group F which is chosen from: a phosphonic acid group, a P(O)O2?M+ group, a OPO3H2 group, or an OP(O)O2?M+ group, wherein M+ is a metal cation; patterning said self-assembled monolayer so as to define at least one plateable zone in which said transparent conductive oxide layer is exposed; plating a metal onto said at least one plateable zone.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of operating a node of a power distribution system in an optimised manner so as to minimise transmission losses on an external power bus. A power generator feeds in electrical energy via an inverter capable of carrying out Volt/VAR control under the command of an optimiser associated with a supervised learning model such as a support vector machine. This optimisation takes place in two distinct training phases, one in which the supervised learning model is trained, another in which optimal control parameters for the inverter are obtained.

Abstract: Method of forming a metallic plating (9) on a substrate (1), comprising the steps of: —providing a substrate (1) comprising a hydrocarbon-based polymer containing C—C and either or both of C—H and N—H bonds; —covalently bonding an azide-containing primer compound (3) to said substrate (1) by C—H and/or N—H insertion, said primer compound (3) comprising molecules each having at plurality of C—H and/or C—N insertion sites; —in the absence of in-situ polymerisation, covalently bonding a pre-synthesised chelating polymer (5) to said primer compound (3) by C—H and/or N—H insertion, said chelating polymer (5) being capable of forming ligand bonds with metal atoms or ions; —dispersing a plating catalyst (7) in said pre-synthesised polymer (5); —forming said metallic plating (9) on said pre-synthesised polymer (5) by means of electroless plating or electroplating

Abstract: Method of operating an energy system, said energy system comprising: a local common transmission bus; at least one local energy connected to said bus; at least one local load connected to said bus; an energy store connected to said bus; a controllable interface arranged to exchange energy between said bus and an external distribution network external to said energy system; a controller adapted to control said interface so as to carry out said exchange of energy. According to the invention, the controller defines three modes based on the state of charge of the energy store which determine if, and how, energy is exchanged with the external network so as to optimize self-consumption and to perform ramp-rate reduction and peak shaving as appropriate.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing a micromechanical component intended to cooperate with another micromechanical component, the method comprising the steps of providing a substrate, forming a mould on said substrate, said mould defining sidewalls arranged to delimit said micromechanical component, providing particles on at least said sidewalls, depositing a metal in said mould so as to form said micromechanical component, and liberating said micromechanical component from said mould and removing said particles.

Abstract: Photovoltaic module comprising: a front sheet arranged on a light incident side of said photovoltaic module; a back sheet arranged on an opposite side of said photovoltaic module to said front sheet; a photovoltaic conversion device disposed between said front sheet and said back sheet; at least one front encapsulation layer disposed between said photovoltaic conversion device and said front sheet; wherein said front encapsulation layer comprises pigment particles distributed therein

Abstract: Method of manufacturing a photovoltaic module comprising at least a first layer and a second layer affixed to each other by means of an encapsulant, said method comprising steps of: providing a lamination device; disposing said first layer in said lamination device, disposing upon said first layer an encapsulant material manufactured by the steps of: providing a base resin comprising a silane-modified polyolefin and having a melting point below 90° C., forming a mixture of said base resin and an additive comprising a crosslinking catalyst, said cross-linking catalyst being present in a proportion of 0.01 to 5 parts per hundred of resin, melting said mixture at a temperature between 90° C. and 190° C., preferably between 160° C. and 180° C.

Abstract: Method for manufacturing a 3D electromechanical component, having at least one embedded electrical conductor, comprising the steps consisting in: implementing an additive manufacturing operation for building an electrically conductive skeleton of the 3D electromechanical component including a structural hull and at least one conductive wire at least partially located inside the structural hull and having first and second ends, at least one of which is mechanically linked to the structural hull; filling the structural hull with an insulating material provided in a state in which it exhibits liquid-like behaviour; implementing a solidification step to provide a solid-like behaviour of the insulating material, the latter thus embedding at least partially an electrical conductor.

Abstract: A balance of a timepiece including an adjustment face provided with at least one recess provided for receiving a projected material for an implementation of an adjustment of the rate of the timepiece notably by the modification of the inertia and of the unbalance of the balance, the recess including an opening and a back notably a solid back or a back fully or partially forming an orifice, the back being at most partially visible from a position defined above the opening notably on a central axis of the opening.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing a micromechanical component intended to cooperate with another micromechanical component, the method comprising the steps of providing a substrate, forming a mould on said substrate, said mould defining sidewalls arranged to delimit said micromechanical component, providing particles on at least said sidewalls, depositing a metal in said mould so as to form said micromechanical component, and liberating said micromechanical component from said mould and removing said particles.

Abstract: A compensation device for compensating PVT variations of an analog and/or digital circuit. The compensation device includes a transistor having a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal, and a fourth terminal allowing to modify a threshold voltage of the transistor. The transistor is configured to be in saturation region. The voltage at the third terminal has a predetermined value and the difference between the voltage at the second terminal and the voltage at the third terminal has a predetermined value. A current generation module is configured to generate a current of a predetermined value. A compensation module is configured to force this current to flow between the first terminal and the third terminal by adjusting the voltage of the fourth terminal.

Abstract: An optical resonator (100) comprises an optical waveguide device (10) having an optical axis (OA) and extending with a longitudinal length between two waveguide end facets (11), resonator mirrors (13) being arranged for enclosing a resonator section (14) of the optical waveguide device (10), and a ferrule (20) having two ferrule facets (21), wherein the optical waveguide device (10) is mounted to the ferrule (20) and the ferrule (20) extends along the full longitudinal length of optical waveguide device (10). Furthermore, an optical apparatus (200) including the optical resonator (100) and a method of manufacturing the optical resonator (100) are described.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fabrication of a balance spring of a predetermined stiffness comprising the steps of fabricating a balance spring in dimensions to obtain a deliberately lower stiffness, determining the stiffness of the balance spring formed in step a) in order to compensate for said missing thickness of material required to obtain the balance spring having the dimensions necessary for said predetermined stiffness.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fabrication of a balance spring of a predetermined stiffness comprising the steps of fabricating a balance spring in dimensions of increased thickness, determining the stiffness of the balance spring formed in step a) in order to remove a volume of material to obtain the balance spring having the dimensions necessary for said predetermined stiffness.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device is proposed comprising a silicon-based substrate (2) having a p-type or n-type doping, with an intrinsic buffer layer (4) situated on said substrate. A first silicon layer (6) of a first doping type is situated on predetermined regions (4a) of the intrinsic buffer layer. The first layer has interstices (5) between said predetermined regions (4a). The first silicon layer comprises at least partially a microcrystalline layer at its side away from the substrate. A microcrystalline silicon layer (8) of a second doping type is situated on said first silicon layer (6). A third silicon layer (10) of the second doping type is situated on said intrinsic buffer layer at the interstices, the third silicon layer being amorphous at its side facing said silicon-based substrate and comprising an at least partially microcrystalline layer portion to the side away from the intrinsic buffer layer.