Abstract: A solar cell having a layered structure with improved characteristics can be manufactured in plasma assisted CVD at a high rate deposition. In one aspect, separators are arranged between discharge electrodes to control a distribution of the composition of a reaction gas in a reaction chamber, giving a desired composition profile of a layer in the direction of the layer thickness. In another aspect, a grid electrode is inserted between a substrate and one of discharge electrodes only near an entrance portion thereof so that a high power can be applied to discharge electrodes to increase a deposition rate without plasma damage to an interface between a layer to be deposited and an underlying substrate. In a further aspect, an electric-field-adjusting means such as a metal wire is provided with an opening of a mask arranged between a substrate and one of the discharge electrodes for controlling the quality and layer thickness of a layer to be deposited.