Abstract: A stirrer having a motor; a hollow shaft that is drivable via the motor and is provided with at least one additive outlet opening, via which an additive passed through the hollow shaft can be discharged; and a rotor arranged on the hollow shaft and having rotor blades, characterized in that a second rotor having rotor blades is provided on the hollow shaft at a distance from the first rotor, and in that the at least one additive outlet opening is provided between the two rotors, wherein the rotors are designed and drivable such that, during operation, a negative pressure and a centrifugal force are generated in the intermediate space defined between the rotors.

Abstract: Device for producing silicon blocks for photovoltaic applications, comprising a container for receiving a silicon melt with a base wall and at least one side wall, means for reducing the diffusion of impurities from at least one of the walls of the container into the silicon melt, wherein the means for reducing the diffusion of impurities comprise at least one covering element for the at least partial covering of at least one of the walls of the container.

Abstract: Device for the production of silicon blocks, the device comprising a vessel for receiving a silicon melt with a bottom, an inside, an outside and a central longitudinal axis and at least one support plate which is at least partially in direct contact with the bottom, and which forms a base together with the bottom, and means for generating an inhomogeneous temperature field on the inside of the bottom.

Abstract: A device for the production of silicon blocks comprising a vessel for receiving a silicon melt with at least one vessel wall, with the at least one vessel wall comprising a nucleation-inhibiting coating on at least part of an inside or with the at least one vessel wall consisting of a nucleation-inhibiting material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for increasing the conversion of group III metal to group III nitride in a fused metal containing group III elements, with the introduction of nitrogen into the fused metal containing group III, at temperatures?1100° C. and at pressures of below 1×108 Pa, wherein a solvent adjunct is added to the fused metal containing group III elements, which is at least one element of the following elements C, Si, Ge, Fe, and/or at least one element of the rare earths, or an alloy or a compound of these elements, in particular their nitrides.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for producing crystalline bodies by directional solidification. The device comprises a melting furnace (11) having a heating chamber (12) in which at least one supporting surface (13) for a crucible (8) and at least one gas purging device arranged above the supporting surface (13) and having a gas outlet facing the supporting surface (13) are defined. An embodiment of the device is characterized in that the gas outlet is defined by one or more openings in a lower plunger surface of a plunger-shaped element (2) which has a geometry adapted to the inner shape of the crucible (8), said shape allowing an at least partial insertion of the plunger-shaped body (2) into the crucible (8). The gas purging device and/or the supporting surface (13) comprise an adjusting mechanism or are designed to be adjustable in such a manner that they allow an adjustment of a perpendicular distance between the supporting surface (13) and the plunger-shaped body (2).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for increasing the conversion of group III metal to group III nitride in a fused metal containing group III elements, with the introduction of nitrogen into the fused metal containing group III, at temperatures?1100° C. and at pressures of below 1×108 Pa, wherein a solvent adjunct is added to the fused metal containing group III elements, which is at least one element of the following elements C, Si, Ge, Fe, and/or at least one element of the rare earths, or an alloy or a compound of these elements, in particular their nitrides.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the production of crystal layers or bulk crystals of group III nitride or of mixtures of different group III nitrides by means of precipitation, at a first temperature T1 in a first temperature range, from a group-III containing fused metal on a group-III-nitride crystal seed placed in the fused metal or on a foreign substrate placed in the fused metal, with the admixture of nitrogen in the fused metal at a pressure P. With the method a solvent additive is added to the fused metal which increases the conversion rate of group III metal to group III nitride in the fused metal. The fused metal runs through at least one temperature cycle with a first and a second process phase in which cycle the fused metal cools after the first process phase from the first temperature to a second temperature T2 below the first temperature range and at the end of the second process phase is heated from the second temperature back to a temperature within the first temperature range.

Abstract: An optical structure includes a substrate for receiving an optical device. The substrate may hold waveguide reference surfaces for vertical alignment of the device to a waveguide core of the substrate. A carrier for holding the optical device has contact surface parts for holding the optical device and for mounting the carrier to an optical device receiving substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an assembly structure and a method for assembling active and passive photonic and/or optoelectronic devices on a silicon board. The invention relates in particular to an assembly structure and a method for aligning the photonic devices during the assembling procedure. According to the present invention, the assembly structure comprises one or more alignment features comprising tapered side surface parts in directions at least substantially parallel to an optical axis. By providing a tapering in a direction in a direction at least substantially parallel to the first optical axis, any inaccuracies primarily affects the non-critical positioning in the direction along the optical axis, whereas the critical positioning transverse to the optical axis merely depends on the symmetry of alignment features. The errors from the inherent inaccuracy of the position and shape of alignment features are thereby minimized.

Abstract: An optical structure includes a substrate for receiving an optical device. The substrate may hold waveguide reference surfaces for vertical alignment of the device to a waveguide core of the substrate. A carrier for holding the optical device has contact surface parts for holding the optical device and for mounting the carrier to an optical device receiving substrate.