Abstract: The separation method of a semiconductor layer according to the present invention comprises separating a semiconductor layer and a semiconductor substrate at a separation layer formed therebetween, wherein a face of the semiconductor layer at the side opposite to the separation layer and/or a face of the semiconductor substrate at the side opposite to the separation layer are held by utilizing an ice layer, whereby it is unnecessary to use an adhesive as holding means and at the same time it is possible to easily and uniformly separate them.

Abstract: In a process for producing a semiconductor member, and a solar cell, making use of a thin-film crystal semiconductor layer, the process includes the steps of: (1) anodizing the surface of a first substrate to form a porous layer at least on one side of the substrate, (2) forming a semiconductor layer at least on the surface of the porous layer, (3) removing the semiconductor layer at its peripheral region, (4) bonding a second substrate to the surface of the semiconductor layer, (5) separating the semiconductor layer from the first substrate at the part of the porous layer, and (6) treating the surface of the first substrate after separation and repeating the above steps (1) to (5).

Abstract: A process for producing a semiconductor member, comprising a first step of forming a porous layer by making porous a first member at its surface portion, leaving some region or regions thereof not made porous; a second step of bonding a semiconductor layer formed on the porous layer and on the first-member surface left not made porous, to a second member to form a bonded structure; and a third step of separating the bonded structure at the part of the porous layer. The first member is made porous leaving some region or regions thereof not made porous so that the porous layer does not cause any separation at the part of the porous layer in the first and second steps. This process can make the semiconductor layer unseparable from the single-crystal silicon member before the separation for transferring the semiconductor layer to the support member side, without setting the anodizing conditions strictly. Also disclosed is a process for producing a solar cell by the above process.

Abstract: A charge roller that includes a metal core, an elastic member configured wrapped around the metal core, and film members is disclosed. Each of the film members is wrapped around each end of the elastic member in a circumferential direction of the metal core such that at least a part of each of the film members exists at every position around the ends of the elastic member in an axial direction of the metal core. Portions of the film members do not overlap each other in an radial direction of the metal core.

Abstract: A charge roller that includes a metal core, an elastic member configured wrapped around the metal core, and film members is disclosed. Each of the film members is wrapped around each end of the elastic member in a circumferential direction of the metal core such that at least a part of each of the film members exists at every position around the ends of the elastic member in an axial direction of the metal core. Portions of the film members do not overlap each other in an radial direction of the metal core.

Abstract: A crystalline silicon layer is epitaxially grown on a substrate having a porous silicon layer on the surface. In making epitaxial growth by liquid-phase epitaxy, a silicon material is previously dissolved in a melt at a high temperature and then the silicon substrate to be subjected to epitaxy is immersed in the melt. Then, its temperature is gradually lowered, whereby the silicon precipitated from the melt is epitaxially grown on the silicon substrate. In this epitaxy, a substrate having the principal plane of (111)-plane is used as the silicon substrate.

Abstract: A cleaning device of the present invention includes a brush roller having a brush held in contact with the surface of a body to be cleaned. The brush contacts the surface of the body to be cleaned due to the weight of the brush roller and rotates by following the movement of the above surface. A flicker is held in contact with the brush in order to remove toner deposited on the brush. A casing forms a chamber therein for storing the toner removed by the flicker. The brush roller maintains an expected cleaning ability even when impurities deposited on the brush absorb moisture in a high-humidity environment and cannot be easily removed or when a great amount of toner deposits on the brush at a time.

Abstract: A fixing device including a rotatable fixing member, a first heating device configured to heat the rotatable fixing member, a rotatable pressing member positioned in press-contact with the rotatable fixing member and forming a fixing region through which a sheet-like recording medium having an unfixed image thereon passes to fix the unfixed image by heat and pressure, and a controller configured to turn off the first heating device for a first predetermined time before a trailing edge of a last sheet-like recording medium in a series of a job passes through the fixing region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, the image bearing member including a protective layer on a surface thereof, a developing device configured to develop the electrostatic latent image with toner to which an external additive is added to form a toner image, and a toner replenishing device configured to contain the toner and to supply air to the toner to replenish the developing device with the toner.

Abstract: To prevent deterioration of charge performance, which is caused by wear of a gap control member that keeps a charge roller into non-contact with the image carrier, the charge roller is brought into contact with a surface of a photosensitive drum via a pair of tape members as the gap control member that contacts with a coat and non-charge portion of the photosensitive drum. A gap G can be formed between an effective charge width portion of the charge roller and the surface of the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor film includes a step of preparing a first member including a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor layer, and a separation layer provided between the semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor layer, a step of bonding or attracting a second member which is hardly heated by induction heating, onto the semiconductor layer of the first member, and a step of separating the semiconductor layer from the semiconductor substrate at the separation layer by heating the semiconductor substrate by induction heating.

Abstract: The peeling of a thin-film single-crystal from a substrate is carried out so that the directions of straight lines on the single-crystal surface made by planes on which the single-crystal is apt to cleave are different from the front line direction of the peeled single-crystal. This single-crystal is used in a solar cell and a drive circuit member of an image display element. A method is provided which prevents a decrease in quality and yield of a single crystal layer when it is peeled from a substrate. A flexible solar cell module having a thin film single-crystal layer is made so that its flexing direction is different from the single-crystal's cleaving direction. Thus, a thin-film single-crystal solar cell module having excellent durability and reliability due to a lack of defect or cracking during production and use, and a method for producing the same, is provided.

Abstract: When a semiconductor layer formed via a separation layer on a substrate is supported by a support member and a pulling force is then exerted on the support member to mechanically break the separation layer to thereby form a thin-film semiconductor, the substrate is held by vacuum and/or electrostatic attachment and separation of the thin-film epitaxial layer is initiated from an area other than an edge of the substrate. This provides a method capable of obtaining the thin-film epitaxial layer with excellent characteristics in a good yield and permitting repetitive uses of the substrate, without inducing lifting of the substrate due to the separation force overcoming the attaching force of the substrate when producing a semiconductor base material and a solar cell.

Abstract: A crystalline silicon layer is epitaxially grown on a substrate having a porous silicon layer on the surface. In making epitaxial growth by liquid-phase epitaxy, a silicon material is previously dissolved in a melt at a high temperature and then the silicon substrate to be subjected to epitaxy is immersed in the melt. Then, its temperature is gradually lowered, whereby the silicon precipitated from the melt is epitaxially grown on the silicon substrate. In this epitaxy, a substrate having the principal plane of (111)-plane is used as the silicon substrate.

Abstract: A cleaning device including a brush roller that contacts the surface of a charge roller for cleaning it and an image forming apparatus including the cleaning device are disclosed. The brush roller has a brush contacting the charge roller due to the weight of the brush roller. The brush roller rotates by following the rotation of the charge roller. The cleaning device has a simple configuration while the brush roller has high durability.

Abstract: A solar cell module comprises a plurality of unit cells connected in series, each of the unit cells comprising in this order an electrode, a first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type. The electrode has a region not covered with the first semiconductor layer. The second semiconductor layer has a main region and a subregion which are separated by a groove. The main region of the second semiconductor layer in one unit cell is electrically connected to the region of the electrode not covered with the first semiconductor layer in another unit cell adjacent to the one unit cell. The region of the electrode not covered with the first semiconductor layer in the one unit cell is electrically connected to the subregion of the second semiconductor layer in the another unit cell. With this structure it is possible to simplify the formation of a bypass diode invention therefore provide solar cell module with high reliability at a low cost.

Abstract: A process for producing a semiconductor member, comprising a first step of forming a porous layer by making porous a first member at its surface portion, leaving some region or regions thereof not made porous; a second step of bonding a semiconductor layer formed on the porous layer and on the first-member surface left not made porous, to a second member to form a bonded structure; and a third step of separating the bonded structure at the part of the porous layer. The first member is made porous leaving some region or regions thereof not made porous so that the porous layer does not cause any separation at the part of the porous layer in the first and second steps.

Abstract: To prevent deterioration of charge performance, which is caused by wear of a gap control member that keeps a charge roller into non-contact with the image carrier, the charge roller is brought into contact with a surface of a photosensitive drum via a pair of tape members as the gap control member that contacts with a coat and non-charge portion of the photosensitive drum. A gap G can be formed between an effective charge width portion of the charge roller and the surface of the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: The solar cell module of the present invention comprises a plurality of unit cells connected in series, each of the unit cells comprising in this order an electrode, a first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type, wherein the electrode has a region not covered with the first semiconductor layer, wherein the second semiconductor layer has a main region and a subregion which are separated by a groove, wherein the main region of the second semiconductor layer in one unit cell of the unit cells is electrically connected to the region of the electrode not covered with the first semiconductor layer in another unit cell adjacent to the one unit cell, and wherein the region of the electrode not covered with the first semiconductor layer in the one unit cell is electrically connected to the subregion of the second semiconductor layer in the another unit cell, whereby it is possible to simplify a step of forming a bypass diode and the pres

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, the image bearing member including a protective layer on a surface thereof, a developing device configured to develop the electrostatic latent image with toner to which an external additive is added to form a toner image, and a toner replenishing device configured to contain the toner and to supply air to the toner to replenish the developing device with the toner.