Abstract: A heterojunction photovoltaic cell includes at least one crystalline silicon oxide film directly placed onto one of the front or rear faces of a crystalline silicon substrate, between said substrate and a layer of amorphous or microcrystalline silicon. The thin film is intended to enable the passivation of said face of the substrate. The thin film is more particularly obtained by radically oxidizing a surface portion of the substrate, before depositing the layer of amorphous silicon. Moreover, a thin layer of intrinsic or microdoped amorphous silicon can be placed between said think film and the layer of amorphous or microcrystalline silicon.

Abstract: The invention relates to a photovoltaic cell having a heterojunction, including a doped substrate (1), in which: a first main face (1A) of said substrate is covered with a passivation layer (2A), a doped layer (3A) of the type opposite to the substrate and forming the transmitter of said cell; the second main face (1B) of said substrate is covered with a passivation layer (2B), a doped layer (3B) of the same type as the substrate defining a repulsing field for the minor carriers of the substrate; characterized in that: the material of the passivation layer (2A) on the transmitter (E) side is selected so as to have a lower potential barrier for the photo-generated minor carriers than for the major carrier of the substrate; and in that the material of the passivation layer (2B) on the side of the repulsing field (BSF) is selected so as to have a lower potential barrier for all the photo-generated major carriers than for the minor carriers of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for producing of at least one photovoltaic cell includes successively the anisotropic etching of a surface of a crystalline silicon substrate and the isotropic etching treatment of said surface. The isotropic etching treatment includes at least two successive operations respectively consisting in forming a silicon oxide thin film with a controlled average thickness, ranging between 10 nm and 500 nm and in removing said thin film thus-formed. The operation consisting in forming a silicon oxide thin film on the face of the substrate is carried out by a thermally activated dry oxidation. Such a method makes it possible to improve the surface quality of the surface of the substrate once said surface is etched in an anisotropic way.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical reflector including an alternating stack of at least one first layer of complex refraction index n1 and at least one second layer of complex refraction index n2, in which the first layer includes semiconductor nanocrystals, including the following steps: calculation of the total number of layers of the stack, of the thicknesses of each of the layers and of the values of complex refraction indices n1 and n2 on the basis of the characteristics of a desired spectral reflectivity window of the optical reflector, including the use of an optical transfer matrices calculation method; calculation of deposition and annealing parameters of the layers on the basis of the total number of layers and of the values of previously calculated complex refraction indices n1 and n2; deposition and annealing of the layers in accordance with the previously calculated parameters.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical reflector including an alternating stack of at least one first layer of complex refraction index n1 and at least one second layer of complex refraction index n2, in which the first layer includes semiconductor nanocrystals, including the following steps: calculation of the total number of layers of the stack, of the thicknesses of each of the layers and of the values of complex refraction indices n1 and n2 on the basis of the characteristics of a desired spectral reflectivity window of the optical reflector, including the use of an optical transfer matrices calculation method; calculation of deposition and annealing parameters of the layers on the basis of the total number of layers and of the values of previously calculated complex refraction indices n1 and n2; deposition and annealing of the layers in accordance with the previously calculated parameters.

Abstract: The invention concerns a nanostructured device (100) comprising a substrate (101), an intermediate layer (102), a zone (103) consisting of multiple three-dimensional structured sites (104) made of semiconductor material, having chemical species (106) fixed to the surface of said three-dimensional nanostructured sites (104). The inventive device is useful for making a biochip and an electronic memory. The invention also concerns a method for forming an electronic memory.

Abstract: A heterojunction photovoltaic cell includes at least one crystalline silicon oxide film directly placed onto one of the front or rear faces of a crystalline silicon substrate, between said substrate and a layer of amorphous or microcrystalline silicon. The thin film is intended to enable the passivation of said face of the substrate. The thin film is more particularly obtained by radically oxidizing a surface portion of the substrate, before depositing the layer of amorphous silicon. Moreover, a thin layer of intrinsic or microdoped amorphous silicon can be placed between said think film and the layer of amorphous or microcrystalline silicon.

Abstract: A method for producing of at least one photovoltaic cell includes successively the anisotropic etching of a surface of a crystalline silicon substrate and the isotropic etching treatment of said surface. The isotropic etching treatment includes at least two successive operations respectively consisting in forming a silicon oxide thin film with a controlled average thickness, ranging between 10 nm and 500 nm and in removing said thin film thus-formed. The operation consisting in forming a silicon oxide thin film on the face of the substrate is carried out by a thermally activated dry oxidation. Such a method makes it possible to improve the surface quality of the surface of the substrate once said surface is etched in an anisotropic way.

Abstract: Method for forming a structure provided with at least one zone of one or several semiconductor nanocrystals (13). It consists in: exposing with a beam of electrons (11) at least one zone (12) of a semiconductor film (1) lying on an electrically insulating support (2), the exposed zone (12) contributing to defining at least one dewetting zone (10) of the film (1), annealing the film (1) at high temperature in such a way that the dewetting zone (10) retracts giving the zone of one or several nanocrystals (13).

Abstract: A method of forming a device includes forming protective shells about metallic nanocrystals supported by a substrate. The metallic nanocrystals having protective shells are encapsulated with a layer formed with process parameters that are not compatible with the integrity of unprotected metallic nanocrystals.

Abstract: A device and method include forming a mask on a substrate supporting a plurality of metallic nanocrystals such that a portion of the metallic nanocrystals is exposed. Protective shells are formed about the exposed metallic nanocrystals. Unprotected metallic nanocrystals are removed.

Abstract: The invention concerns a nanostructured device (100) comprising a substrate (101), an intermediate layer (102), a zone (103) consisting of multiple three-dimensional structured sites (104) made of semiconductor material, having chemical species (106) fixed to the surface of said three-dimensional nanostructured sites (104). The inventive device is useful for making a biochip and an electronic memory.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a support comprising nanoparticles (22) for the growth of nanostructures (23), said nanoparticles being organised periodically, the method being characterised in that it comprises the following steps: providing a support comprising, in the vicinity of one of its surfaces, a periodic array of crystal defects and/or stress fields (18), depositing, on said surface, a continuous layer (20) of a first material capable of catalysing the nanostructure growth reaction, fractionating the first material layer (20) by a heat treatment so as to form the first material nanoparticles (22).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a support comprising nanoparticles (22) for the growth of nanostructures (23), said nanoparticles being organised periodically, the method being characterised in that it comprises the following steps: providing a support comprising, in the vicinity of one of its surfaces, a periodic array of crystal defects and/or stress fields (18), depositing, on said surface, a continuous layer (20) of a first material capable of catalysing the nanostructure growth reaction, fractionating the first material layer (20) by a heat treatment so as to form the first material nanoparticles (22). The invention also relates to a method for producing nanostructures from said support.

Abstract: Method of preparing a silicon dioxide layer by high-temperature oxidation on a substrate of formula Si1-xGex in which x is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1, the said method comprising the following successive steps: a) at least one additional layer of thickness hy and of overall formula Si1-yGey, in which y is greater than 0 and less than x, is deposited on the said substrate of formula Si1-xGex; and b) the high-temperature oxidation of the said additional layer of overall formula Si1-yGey is carried out, whereby the said additional layer is completely or partly converted into a layer of silicon oxide SiO2. Method of preparing an optical or electronic component, comprising at least one step for preparing an SiO2 layer using the method described above.

Abstract: Method for forming a structure provided with at least one zone of one or several semiconductor nanocrystals (13). It consists in: exposing with a beam of electrons (11) at least one zone (12) of a semiconductor film (1) lying on an electrically insulating support (2), the exposed zone (12) contributing to defining at least one dewetting zone (10) of the film (1), annealing the film (1) at high temperature in such a way that the dewetting zone (10) retracts giving the zone of one or several nanocrystals (13).

Abstract: Method of preparing a silicon dioxide layer by high-temperature oxidation on a substrate of formula Si1-xGex in which x is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1, the said method comprising the following successive steps: a) at least one additional layer of thickness hy and of overall formula Si1-yGey, in which y is greater than 0 and less than x, is deposited on the said substrate of formula Si1-xGex; and b) the high-temperature oxidation of the said additional layer of overall formula Si1-yGey is carried out, whereby the said additional layer is completely or partly converted into a layer of silicon oxide SiO2. Method of preparing an optical or electronic component, comprising at least one step for preparing an SiO2 layer using the method described above.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device comprising microstructures or nanostructures on a support, characterized in that the support comprises: a) a substrate (1) comprising at least one part composed of a crystalline material, this part having a surface (2) with a stress field or a topology associated with a stress field, the stress field being associated with dislocations, b) an intermediate layer (3) bonded to the surface (2), and having a thickness and/or composition and/or a surface state enabling transmission of said stress field through this layer as far as its free face that supports microstructures or nanostructures (4).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device comprising microstructures or nanostructures on a support, characterized in that the support comprises: