Abstract: The device for knife coating a layer of ink based on copper and indium on a substrate includes a supply tank of an ink, said tank collaborating with a coating knife. In addition, the device includes means that allow the ink, the substrate and the coating knife to be kept at different and increasing respective temperatures.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device including a CIGS photovoltaic module having a so-called top surface, intended to be exposed to light radiation; and a light emitting diode emitting light at a wavelength of less than 600 nm and transparent to radiation in the near infrared, attached to the top surface of the photovoltaic module. A photovoltaic generation system having: at least one such photovoltaic device; a system of switches to selectively connect the photovoltaic module to the light emitting diode or to a terminal supplying an external load; and a control circuit for controlling the system of switches. An electrical system having: such a photovoltaic generation system; a battery connected to the supply terminal; and at least one electronic circuit connected to the battery in order to be powered. An implantable medical device having such an electronic system.

Abstract: The invention relates to an implantable energy source comprising at least one energy storage sub-system (171) constructed in the form of a stack of thin layers (175) on a substrate (176), characterised in that said energy storage sub-system has a plurality of through-openings (174) for allowing the development and the passage of blood vessels. Preferably, the energy source thereof has a thickness of less than, or equal to, 1 mm, over at least 80% of its surface.

Abstract: Hermetic housing comprising: a first element (11) in sheet form, made from at least one material chosen from a metal, a ceramic and a glass; a second element (15, 17, 18) for covering said first element, likewise made of at least one material chosen from a metal, a ceramic and a glass; a first metal surround (12) interposed between said first element and said second element, comprising an internal part (14) partially or fully positioned within the perimeter of said first element and an outer part (13) positioned fully on the outside of said perimeter of said first element; a first hermetic seal between said first element and said internal part of said first metal surround; and a second hermetic seal between said second element and said outer part of said first metal surround. Method of encapsulating a device, notably an implantable medical device, using such a hermetic housing.

Abstract: Method for producing a hermetically sealed casing, comprising the following steps: a) supplying a ceramic substrate (20), b) supplying a metal surround (21) and placing it facing the said substrate (20), c) forming a first hermetically sealed joint (22) at the interface between the said substrate (20) and the said metal surround (21), in order to assemble them and form an assembly, d) superposing a cover (23) on the said assembly, e) forming a second hermetically sealed joint (24) between an upper face of the metal surround (21) which is the opposite face to the said interface, and the cover (23), in order to obtain the said casing, characterized in that, during step c), the first hermetically sealed joint (22) is formed on a portion of the said interface and in that prior to step c), the method involves an additional step consisting in placing a ceramic surround (25) on the upper face of the metal surround so as to partially cover the said face of the metal surround, the projected surface of the said ceram

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for producing an intermediate product for obtaining a photovoltaic module comprising a plurality of solar cells, said method comprising the following steps: (a) localised deposition on a substrate (4) of a layer (7) of an Se or S material, so as to cover at least one portion (400) of the substrate, (b) deposition on this localised layer (7), of a layer (41) of conductive material, said layer coating the localised layer.

Abstract: A method for producing an intermediate product for obtaining a photovoltaic module comprising a plurality of solar cells, said method comprising the following steps: (a) localised deposition on a substrate (4) of a layer of metal (8) so as to cover at least one portion (401) of the substrate, (b) deposition on this localised layer (8) of a layer (41) of conductive material, said layer coating the localised layer (8).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a photovoltaic module comprising a plurality of solar cells in a thin-layer structure, in which the following are consecutively formed: an electrode on the rear surface (41), a photovoltaic layer (46) obtained by depositing a layer (42) of precursors and by annealing such as to convert the precursors into a semiconductor material, and another semiconductor layer (43) in order to create a pn junction with the photovoltaic layer (46); characterised in that the layer (42) is deposited in a localised manner, such as to leave free at least one area (410) of the electrode on the rear surface (41) placed between two adjacent cells, wherein the annealing step modifies said area (410) which has higher resistivity than the rest of the electrode on the rear surface (41), such as to provide electric insulation between two adjacent cells.

Abstract: An oxygen/hydrogen fuel cell including a package having, on the side of the cell intended to be exposed to air, an enclosure provided with a mobile cap; an element made of a material which deforms according to the humidity ratio in the package; circuitry for controlling the opening and the closing of the mobile cap; and a switch which opens and closes according to the deformation of said material, said switch being associated with control means.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a photovoltaic module comprising plurality of solar cells in a thin-layer structure, in which the following are formed consecutively in the structure: an electrode on the rear surface (41), a photovoltaic layer (43) obtained by depositing components including metal precursors and at least one element taken from Se and S and by annealing such as to convert said components into a semiconductor material, and another semiconductor layer (44) in order to create a pn junction with the photovoltaic layer (43); characterised in that the metal precursors form, on the electrode on the rear surface (41), a continuous layer, while said at least one element forms a layer having at least one break making it possible, at the end of the annealing step, to leave an area (430) of the layer of metal precursors in the metal state at said break.

Abstract: The device for knife coating a layer of ink based on copper and indium on a substrate includes a supply tank of an ink, said tank collaborating with a coating knife. In addition, the device includes means that allow the ink, the substrate and the coating knife to be kept at different and increasing respective temperatures.

Abstract: A device includes a plurality of wires of nanometric or micrometric dimensions formed by a semiconductor material chosen from silicon, germanium and a silicon and germanium alloy. The device further includes pellets enhancing the mechanical strength and the optical absorption properties of the device. The pellets have a diameter between 100 nm and 1 ?m and are formed by spherical agglomerates of zinc oxide particles with a diameter between 10 mn and 200 nm. The pellets are in particular obtained by immersing the wires in a bath containing an alcohol-based solvent and zinc acetate under temperature and pressure conditions keeping the alcohol-based solvent in the liquid state and by thermal annealing of the wires transforming the zinc acetate into zinc oxide.

Abstract: A hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell including a main cell and an auxiliary cell sharing a common electrolyte and having at least one separate electrode, circuitry for measuring the humidity ratio of the electrolyte, and control and switching circuitry for operating the main and auxiliary cells in parallel on a same load or separately on two different loads.

Abstract: A hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell including an electrolyte sandwiched between two catalyst layers or sheets, each catalyst layer or sheet being in contact with a porous electrode, in which one or several catalyst layers or sheets and one or several electrode layers or sheets interpenetrate.

Abstract: A hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell including, on the anode side, a hydrogen storage buffer chamber. The buffer chamber includes a wall having at least a semi-permeable portion, impermeable to gases (hydrogen-oxygen-air) and permeable to water.

Abstract: A hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell including a main cell and an auxiliary cell sharing a common electrolyte and having at least one separate electrode, circuitry for measuring the humidity ratio of the electrolyte, and control and switching circuitry for operating the main and auxiliary cells in parallel on a same load or separately on two different loads.

Abstract: A hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell including an electrolyte sandwiched between two catalyst layers or sheets, each catalyst layer or sheet being in contact with a porous electrode, in which one or several catalyst layers or sheets and one or several electrode layers or sheets interpenetrate.

Abstract: An oxygen/hydrogen fuel cell including a package having, on the side of the cell intended to be exposed to air, an enclosure provided with a mobile cap; an element made of a material which deforms according to the humidity ratio in the package; circuitry for controlling the opening and the closing of the mobile cap; and a switch which opens and closes according to the deformation of said material, said switch being associated with control means.