Abstract: One subject of the invention is a process for the treatment of at least one thin continuous film deposited on a first side of a substrate, characterized in that said at least one thin film is raised to a temperature of at least 300° C. while maintaining a temperature not exceeding 150° C. on the opposite side of said substrate to said first side, so as to increase the degree of crystallization of said thin film while keeping it continuous and without a step of melting said thin film. Another subject of the invention is the material that can be obtained by this process.

Abstract: Process for the vacuum deposition of at least one boron-based thin film on a substrate, characterized in that: at least one sputtering species that is chemically inactive or active with respect to boron is chosen; a collimated beam of ions comprising predominantly said sputtering species is generated using at least one linear ion source positioned within an installation of industrial size; said beam is directed onto at least one boron-based target; and at least one surface portion of said substrate facing said target is positioned in such a way that said material sputtered by the ion bombardment of the target or a material resulting from the reaction of said sputtered material with at least one of the sputtering species is deposited on said surface portion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a substrate provided with a mechanically resistant, long-lasting coating, and suitable for being handled by a user. Said substrate is characterised in that the coating comprises a first photocatalytic compound which is intimately associated with a second compound containing an energy jump between the upper level of the valence band thereof and the lower level of the conductive band thereof, corresponding to a wavelength in the visible field. The invention also relates to a glazing comprising said substrate, to the applications of the inventive substrate, and to the methods for the production thereof.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is the use of a material composed of a substrate equipped with a coating based on titanium oxide surmounted by a thin hydrophilic layer forming at least one part of the outer surface of said material and that is not composed of titanium oxide, as a material that prevents the deposition of mineral soiling on said outer surface in the absence of water runoff.