Abstract: A carbon ribbon (16) has two faces (20, 22) and two longitudinal ends (34, 36), at least one of the faces of the ribbon (16?) having a central portion (20a, 22a) situated between the two longitudinal ends (34, 36), which central portion is to receive a deposit of a layer of a semiconductor material (30, 32). The ribbon further includes, on at least one of its races (20, 22), at least one longitudinal groove (17) situated between one of said ends (34, 36) and the central portion (20a, 22a), and in that the longitudinal groove (17) is shaped in such a manner that when the layer of the semiconductor material is deposited, the semiconductor material (30, 32) filling the groove (17) forms a protuberance (31) adjacent to one of the longitudinal ends (34, 36) of one of the faces (20, 22) of the carbon ribbon.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of fabricating at least one polycrystalline silicon plate (68, 70) with one (64, 66) of its two faces presenting predetermined relief, in which method a layer of polycrystalline silicon (60, 62) is deposited on at least one (56, 58) of the two faces of a support (50). The method comprises the steps of embossing said face (52, 54) of the support (50) to impart thereto a shape that is complementary to said relief; depositing said polycrystalline silicon layer (60, 62) on said embossed face (56, 58) of the support (50), the surface (64 or 66) of said polycrystalline silicon layer situated in contact with said embossed face (56 or 58) then taking on the shape of said relief; and eliminating said support in order to obtain said polycrystalline silicon plate (68 or 70). The invention is applicable to fabricating solar cells.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of fabricating photovoltaic cells in which at least one layer of semiconductor material is deposited continuously on a carbon ribbon (10) to form a composite ribbon (20), said layer having a free face (22, 24) opposite from its face in contact with the carbon ribbon. According to the invention, at least one treatment (28) is applied to the layer of semiconductor material, from said free face (22, 24), in order to implement photovoltaic functions of the cells on said layer, prior to eliminating the carbon ribbon (10). The invention makes it possible to increase productivity in the fabrication of photovoltaic cells, which cells can be of very small thicknesses.

Abstract: A carbon ribbon (16) has two faces (20, 22) and two longitudinal ends (34, 36), at least one of the faces of the ribbon (16?) having a central portion (20a, 22a) situated between the two longitudinal ends (34, 36), which central portion is to receive a deposit of a layer of a semiconductor material (30, 32). The ribbon further includes, on at least one of its races (20, 22), at least one longitudinal groove (17) situated between one of said ends (34, 36) and the central portion (20a, 22a), and in that the longitudinal groove (17) is shaped in such a manner that when the layer of the semiconductor material is deposited, the semiconductor material (30, 32) filling the groove (17) forms a protuberance (31) adjacent to one of the longitudinal ends (34, 36) of one of the faces (20, 22) of the carbon ribbon.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device (100) for depositing a layer based on polycrystalline silicon onto a substantially plane, elongate, moving support (4) having two longitudinal faces (43, 44) and two longitudinal side edges (41, 42), the device comprising: a crucible (1) containing a bath (2) of molten silicon, said support (4) being designed to be dipped at least in part in the bath and to pass substantially vertically in its long direction through the equilibrium surface (21) of the bath; and at least one edge control element (5, 5?), each edge control element being maintained substantially vertically close to one of the two longitudinal side edges (41, 42); each edge control element comprising walls (51 to 53?) defining a longitudinal slot (54, 54?) beside the corresponding longitudinal side edge, each slot being dipped in part in the bath (2) so as to raise the level of the bath by capillarity in the vicinity of the corresponding longitudinal side edge, the device being characterized in that at

Abstract: The present invention relates to a carbon ribbon for covering in a thin layer of semiconductor material, and to a method of deposited such a layer on a substrate constituted by a carbon ribbon. At least one of the two faces of the carbon ribbon is for covering in a layer of semiconductor material by causing the ribbon to pass substantially vertically upwards through a bath of molten semiconductor material. According to the invention, the two edges of at least one of the two faces of the carbon ribbon project so as to form respective rims.