Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an electronic component in which a copper electrode and an inorganic substrate exhibit strong adhesion to each other. A method for producing an electronic component according to the present invention comprises: an application step wherein a paste is applied onto an inorganic substrate, which paste contains copper particles, copper oxide particles and/or nickel oxide particles, and inorganic oxide particles having a softening point; a sintering step wherein a sintered body which contains at least copper is formed by means of heating in an inert gas atmosphere at a temperature that is less than the softening point of the inorganic oxide particles but not less than the sintering temperature of the copper particles; and a softening step wherein heating is carried out in an inert gas atmosphere at a temperature that is not less than the softening point of the inorganic oxide particles.

Abstract: A circuit board that has flexibility owing to an organic insulating layer and that still has high adhesion between metal wiring and the organic insulating layer; and a method for producing the circuit board without employing photolithography. The circuit board comprising a metal wiring arrangement portion and a metal wiring non-arrangement portion, wherein: in the metal wiring arrangement portion, metal wiring, a first diffusion layer, and a first organic insulating layer are stacked; in the metal wiring non-arrangement portion, a metal oxide layer, a second diffusion layer, and a second organic insulating layer are stacked; the metal wiring is made of a first metal element; and the first diffusion layer contains the first metal element and a second metal element.

Abstract: To provide a wiring material which does not require a diffusion barrier layer and exhibits excellent conductivity and adhesion property between a conductor and an insulator and a semiconductor element using the same. The wiring structure of the present invention includes a conductor containing an intermetallic compound and an insulator layer. The intermetallic compound preferably contains two or more kinds of metal elements selected from the group consisting of Al, Fe, Co, Ni, and Zn. In addition, the intermetallic compound is preferably one or more kinds selected from an intermetallic compound containing Al and Co, an intermetallic compound containing Al and Fe, an intermetallic compound containing Al and Ni, an intermetallic compound containing Co and Fe, or an intermetallic compound containing Ni and Zn.

Abstract: Provided are a solar cell having a good conversion efficiency in which damage to a p-n junction structure is prevented when an antireflection film is removed, and a method of manufacturing such a solar cell.

Abstract: The present invention is provided with an interface layer that minimizes interdiffusion between a silicon substrate and copper electrode wiring that are used as a solar cell, that improves the adhesive properties of copper wiring, and that is used to obtain ohmic contact characteristics. This silicon solar cell comprises a silicon substrate and is provided with a metal oxide layer that is formed on the silicon substrate and wiring that is formed on the metal oxide layer and that comprises mainly copper. The metal oxide layer contains (a) one of either titanium or manganese, (b) one of vanadium, niobium, tantalum, or silicon, and (c) at least one of copper and nickel. In addition, the metal oxide layer comprises copper or nickel as metal particles that are diffused in the interior of the metal oxide layer.

Abstract: To provide a method for firing a copper paste, which improves sinterability of copper particles for the purpose of forming a copper wiring line that is decreased in the electrical conductivity. A method for firing a copper paste, which comprises: an application step wherein a copper paste is applied over a substrate; a first heating step wherein the substrate is heated in a nitrogen gas atmosphere containing from 500 ppm to 2,000 ppm (inclusive) of an oxidizing gas in terms of volume ratio after the application step, thereby oxidizing and sintering copper particles in the copper paste; and a second heating step wherein the substrate is heated in a nitrogen gas atmosphere containing 1% or more of a reducing gas in terms of volume ratio after the first heating step, thereby reducing the oxidized and sintered copper oxide.

Abstract: A solar cell module capable of preventing the occurrence of a PID failure in a solar photovoltaic power generation system with a MW capacity, said system being used in a high-temperature high-humidity environment; and a method for manufacturing this solar cell module. A solar cell module which comprises a protection glass material and a sealing material on a light receiving surface side of a substrate, and which also comprises an oxide layer between the substrate and the protection glass material, said oxide layer containing a metal element and silicon. It is preferable that the oxide layer contains at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, zirconium, niobium and molybdenum. It is also preferable that the oxide layer has a refractive index of from 1.5 to 2.3 (inclusive) with respect to incident light having a wavelength of 587 nm.

Abstract: This conductive paste is such that the printing properties and sintering properties are superior and is formed such that resistance of wiring after sintering is lowered. This conductive paste is characterized by being formed from copper-based metal particles and by an aspect ratio (dmax/dmin), which is defined as the ratio of the maximum diameter (dmax) and minimum diameter (dmin) for the metal particles, being greater than or equal to 1.0 and smaller than 2.2.

Abstract: Provided is a solar cell device wherein: a Cu-containing metal layer exhibits good adhesion strength with respect to an Si substrate and a tab wire; and diffusion of Cu into the substrate and an Ag finger wiring line is suppressed. Provided is a solar cell device which comprises a silicon semiconductor substrate, a Cu-containing metal layer, an Ag-containing finger wiring line, and an interface layer containing an oxide or an organic compound. The Ag-containing finger wiring line is formed on the light receiving surface of the silicon semiconductor substrate; the interface layer is formed on the light receiving surface of the silicon semiconductor substrate; and the Cu-containing metal layer is formed on the interface layer and is arranged at a distance from the Ag-containing finger wiring line.

Abstract: To provide: an electronic component which comprises a copper electrode on an inorganic material substrate and wherein the adhesion strength between the substrate and the copper electrode is high, thereby achieving improved adhesion of the copper electrode; and a method for manufacturing this electronic component. An electronic component which comprises a copper electrode on an inorganic material substrate and wherein an interface layer containing copper, manganese, silicon and oxygen is provided at the interface between the substrate and the copper electrode, and the interface layer contains crystal grains that are mainly formed of copper and dispersed in the interface layer. A method for manufacturing this electronic component comprises: an interface layer formation step for forming an interface layer on the substrate; and an electrode formation step for forming the copper electrode on the interface layer.

Abstract: A heated glove includes an electrically heated woven fabric in which the fabric has been coated with electrically conducting metal to enable its use as a heating element. The fabric heating element is in the shape of the front and back of a hand with the front and back being electrically connected together only at the tips of the fingers, and is disposed between inner and outer insulating fabric layers.

Abstract: A method of continuously sequentially coating polyamide filaments with copper and silver which utilizes as a key step in the process the use of a wetter solution containing alcohol, a detergent and an ethylene oxide and propylene oxide copolymer surfactant. The filaments are in the form of multi-filament tows, roving, woven tape or fabric and the steps involve immersing the filaments in a sodium hydroxide trisodium phosphate cleaning solution, followed by a water rinse and then immersion in the wetter solution, followed by water rinse and then followed by a conventional commercial pre-activator, then a commercial palladium chloride/stannous chloride catalytic activator, followed by commercial autocatalytic copper plating as a first copper plating step, followed by a subsequent copper plating step from a copper cyanide bath, followed by a conventional silver plating step, with appropriate water rinses after each of the plating steps, and finally with an alcohol rinse and drying.

Abstract: A method of continuously sequentially coating polyester with copper and silver which utilizes as a key step in the process the use of a wetter solution containing alcohol, a detergent and an ethylene oxide and propylene oxide copolymer surfactant. The filaments are in the form of multi-filament tows, roving, woven tape or fabric and the steps involve immersing the filaments in a sodium hydroxide trisodium phosphate cleaning solution, followed by a water rinse and the immersion in the wetter solution, followed by water rinse and then followed by an etch in hydrogen peroxide, followed by a commercial palladium chloride/stannous chloride catalytic activator, followed by a hydrochloric acid immersion, followed by commercial autocatalytic copper plating as a first copper plating step, followed by a subsequent copper plating step from a copper cyanide bath, followed by a conventional silver plating step, with appropriate water rinses after each of the plating steps, and finally with an alcohol rinse and drying.

Abstract: A method of preparation of fiberglass filaments for subsequent coating with metal wherein the fiberglass filaments first are immersed in a wetter solution containing alcohol, a detergent, and an ethylene oxide and propylene oxide copolymer surfactant. Following this treatment the filaments may be treated with conventional palladium chloride or tin chloride activators, followed by treatment with an acid accelerator and then autocatalytically coated with metals such as copper, gold, palladium, cobalt, nickel, and nickel alloys of phosphorus, boron, or tungsten. A second electroplating or immersion plating step may be included where the metal-coated filaments are electroplated or immersion plated with either the same metal, or a different metal taken from the group consisting of nickel, silver, zinc, cadmium, platinum, iron, cobalt, chromium, tin, lead, rhodium, ruthenium, or iridium.

Abstract: A conductive cable made up of a plurality of polyaramid elements referred to as tows, which are woven, twisted, or braided together, in which each of said tows comprises a large number of individual fine filaments (usually about 1,000 or so) with each of the individual filaments being coated with an adherent metal coating such as copper, nickel, silver, zinc, cadmium, platinum, iron, cobalt, chromium, tin, lead, rhodium, ruthenium, and indium in single or multiple layers so as to provide strength and good electrical conductivity. Woven polyaramid fabric is also disclosed with the individual filaments in each element or tow of the fabric having been treated in the same manner.Methods of making such a cable or woven fabric are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a process of forming a copper base alloy composite which is reinforced by graphite fibers, wherein the fibers are first coated with a continuous coating of an alloy constituent and then continuously coated with a coating of copper or a copper base alloy. The coated fibers are then heated in a vacuum under applied load, in combination with copper or a copper base alloy at a temperature above the melting point of the copper or copper base alloy but below the melting point of the alloy to be formed from the copper or copper base alloy and the alloy constituent with which said graphite fiber has first been coated.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a process of preparing metal matrix composites which are reinforced by ceramic or graphite fibers, wherein the fibers are pretreated; first by a nickel coating, then by a second coating which is sacrificed when the fibers are ultimately immersed in a liquid metallic bath which becomes the matrix of the composite material formed. Usually the second coating is copper.In addition, a third coating on the fibers comprising a noble metal such as silver may also be used for certain matrix metal materials. Preferably the thickness of the nickel coating is a minimum of 0.5 micrometers and the second sacrificial coating is a minimum of 0.5 micrometers. After the fibers have been coated with the two or more successive coatings, they are incorporated into a metal matrix composite material by immersion in a molten bath of the desired matrix metal, or by placing the fibers in a suitable mold and casting the molten metal matrix around them, or by other suitable means.