Abstract: The invention concerns a method for making a photovoltaic cell based on thin film silicon, which consists in providing a heterojunction by depositing on a support at least one first P— (or N—) doped amorphous silicon layer (13) and a second N— (or P—) doped amorphous silicon layer (14), in crystallizing, at least partly, the at least one first layer (13) using a technology for crystallizing silicon by pulsed electronic beam.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for forming a thin, high hardness coating and devices comprising it. The method of the invention consists in depositing, by magnetron cathode sputtering, a titanium film on at least one surface of a substrate under a partial pressure of argon of 1 Pa, then in depositing, by magnetron cathode sputtering, a titanium nitride film, onto the film obtained by introducing nitrogen into the cathodic sputtering chamber while maintaining a partial pressure of 1 Pa, and in depositing a film of a composite nanostructured material based on titanium, zirconium, boron and nitrogen onto the film obtained by magnetron cathode sputtering in active co-sputtering mode. The method of the invention can be applied in many fields, and in particular in the mechanical field in order to improve the surface hardness of mechanical components.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for making a photovoltaic cell based on thin film silicon, which consists in providing a heterojunction by depositing on a support at least one first P— (or N—) doped amorphous silicon layer (13) and a second N— (or P—) doped amorphous silicon layer (14), in crystallising, at least partly, the at least one first layer (13) using a technology for crystallising silicon by pulsed electronic beam.

Abstract: The sulfidation resistance of a silver-base material coating is further improved by making a concentration gradient of silver, oxygen and of one or more oxidizable alloying elements that may be present in the material, from the free surface of the coating up to a depth comprised between 10 nm and 1 ?m and more particularly between 100 nm and 1 ?m. Thus, the coating comprises a stack of one main layer made from silver-base material and of one oxidized thin film. The thin film, with a thickness comprised between 10 nm and 1 ?m, thus presents a decreasing silver concentration gradient from the interface between the thin film and the main layer to the free surface of the thin film. Deposition of the coating on a support can be achieved by two successive physical vapor deposition steps, and more particularly by magnetron cathode sputtering.