Abstract: An apparatus for growth of uniform multi-component single crystals is provided. The single crystal material has at least three elements and has a diameter of at least 50 mm, a dislocation density of less than 100 cm?2 and a radial compositional variation of less than 1%.

Abstract: The method and apparatus includes a vessel having a bottom and sidewalls arranged to house the material in a molten state. A temperature controlled horizontally oriented, cooling plate is movable into and out of the top of the molten material. When the cooling plate is lowered into the top of the melt, an ingot of solid silicon is solidified downwards.

Abstract: A high quality single-crystalline polyalkylthiophene structure can be easily prepared by the inventive method which comprises: (i) dissolving polyalkylthiophene in an organic solvent at a temperature ranging from 50 to 100° C., sequentially quenching the polyalkylthiophene solution at a temperature ranging from 25 to 40° C. and then at ?5 to 15° C., to obtain a self-seeding polyalkylthiophene solution; and (ii) applying the self-seeding polyalkylthiophene solution obtained in step (i) to one surface of a nano-template having a hydrophobic supramolecule coating layer formed thereon to induce self-assembly and crystallization of polyalkylthiophene on the surface.

Abstract: A crystallization method, includes: forming an amorphous silicon layer on a substrate; forming a first crystallization region by irradiating the amorphous silicon layer with a laser beam having a ramp shaped cross sectional profile that decreases in a scanning direction; and performing a second crystallization by moving a predetermined length in a scanning direction so as to be partially overlapped with the first crystallization region formed by the first crystallization.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the continuous production of semiconductor ribbons by growth from a linear molten zone. The creation of the molten zone is achieved by application of an electric current, direct or alternating, parallel to the surface of the ribbon and perpendicular to the direction of growth, and intense enough to melt the said material, preferably using electrodes of the said material. The molten zone is fed by transference of the material, in the liquid state, from one or more reservoirs, where melting of the feedstock occurs. Preferably, the said electrodes and the said reservoir(s) are only constituted by the said material, thus avoiding contamination by foreign materials. The present invention is applicable, for example, in the industry of silicon ribbons production for photovoltaic application.

Abstract: A radio frequency automatic identification system detects targets which include solid resonators resonating at several frequencies, attributing information to the frequencies at which the target resonates. Preferred resonators are quartz crystals, which may be made by a process of heating quartz to soften it and cutting crystals to approximate size and resonant frequency. Resonators produced by such a process are measured to determine their actual resonant frequency, and preferably the crystals are sorted into predetermined frequency windows in accordance with their measured resonant frequency. A set of resonators having frequencies corresponding to predetermined data is selected from the sorted groups of resonators and incorporated into a target. The preferred target is an ink-like material having a plurality of resonators disposed in a matrix which is radio frequency transparent at the frequency of interest.

Abstract: A method for producing a single crystal or polycrystal of terbium aluminate containing at least terbium, aluminum and oxygen and represented by the formula Tb.sub.1-x Al.sub.1+x O.sub.3 wherein -0.5.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.5, which comprises growing the single crystal or polycrystal using a reducing gas atmosphere or a neutral gas atmosphere as an atmosphere for crystal growth.