Abstract: A method for manufacturing a crystalline silicon-based solar cell includes performing a plasma treatment on a plurality of conductive single-crystalline silicon substrates in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber, each of the conductive single-crystalline silicon substrates having an intrinsic silicon-based layer on a first principal surface thereof. The first principal surface of the conductive single-crystalline silicon substrate may have a pyramidal texture that comprises a plurality of projections having a top portion, a middle portion, and a valley portion. The plasma treatment may include introducing a hydrogen gas and a silicon-containing gas into the CVD chamber and exposing a surface of the intrinsic silicon-based layer to hydrogen plasma. An amount of the hydrogen gas introduced into the CVD chamber during the plasma treatment may be 150 to 2500 times an amount of the silicon-containing gas introduced into the CVD chamber.

Abstract: A back contact solar cell is suppressed in decrease of yield due to warp of a semiconductor substrate or short circuit of electrodes, and includes a semiconductor substrate; a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type and a first electrode layer, sequentially laminated on a part of the back surface of the semiconductor substrate; and a semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type and a second electrode layer, sequentially laminated on another part of the back surface. Each of the first and second electrode layers comprises a base conductive layer and a plating layer covering the base conductive layer. The base conductive layer comprises a base bus bar part and a plurality of base finger parts. With respect to each one of the plurality of base finger parts, one end part and the other end part in the longitudinal direction are narrower than a middle part.

Abstract: The solar cell includes a plurality of light-receiving-side finger electrodes on a light-receiving surface of a photoelectric conversion section having a semiconductor junction. The light-receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion section is covered with a first insulating layer. Each light-receiving-side finger electrodes include: a first metal seed layer provided between the photoelectric conversion section and the first insulating layer; and a first plating metal layer being conduction with the first metal seed layer through openings formed in the first insulating layer. The solar cell includes an isolated plating metal layer pieces contacting neither the light-receiving-side finger electrodes nor the back-side finger electrodes. On the surface of the first insulating layer, an isolated plating metal crowded region is present in a form of a band-shape extending parallel to an extending direction of the light-receiving-side finger electrodes.

Abstract: A conductive paste composition includes 1 to 10 parts by weight of a binder (A), 2 to 20 parts by weight of an epoxy monomer (B), 1 to 20 parts by weight of a crosslinking agent (C), and 70 to 95 parts by weight of a conductive filler (D). The binder (A) is a reactive oligomer having a siloxane bond as a main skeleton and including a plurality of oxirane rings as an organic group. The epoxy monomer (B) includes an oxirane ring. The total amount of the binder (A), the epoxy monomer (B), the crosslinking agent (C), and the conductive filler (D) is 100 parts by weight.

Abstract: A solar cell module having low resistance loss between a collector electrode and a connection wiring line, and a method for producing the solar cell module. A solar cell includes a finger electrode portion extending in a predetermined direction, the finger electrode portion being a region in which a collector electrode is disposed, in plan view of a photoelectric conversion section. The finger electrode portion has a stacked structure in which a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer having a lower resistance than the first conductive layer are stacked on the photoelectric conversion section. A wiring member is arranged on the collector electrode in a manner to intersect the finger electrode portion. An intersecting region between the finger electrode portion of the solar cell and the wiring member has a lamination structure in which the first conductive layer and the wiring member are stacked.

Abstract: The solar cell includes a plurality of light-receiving-side finger electrodes on a light-receiving surface of a photoelectric conversion section having a semiconductor junction. The light-receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion section is covered with a first insulating layer. Each light-receiving-side finger electrodes include: a first metal seed layer provided between the photoelectric conversion section and the first insulating layer; and a first plating metal layer being conduction with the first metal seed layer through openings formed in the first insulating layer. The solar cell includes an isolated plating metal layer pieces contacting neither the light-receiving-side finger electrodes nor the back-side finger electrodes. On the surface of the first insulating layer, an isolated plating metal crowded region is present in a form of a band-shape extending parallel to an extending direction of the light-receiving-side finger electrodes.

Abstract: A solar cell module includes a solar cell string in which a first solar cell and a second solar cell are arranged apart from each other along a first direction. The first and second solar cells are connected by a strip-shaped wiring member, and the solar cell string is arranged between a light-receiving-surface protection member and a back-surface protection member. The wiring member has, along the first direction, an uneven region where the first principal surface is provided with unevenness, and a flat region where the first principal surface is not provided with unevenness or is provided with unevenness that is smaller in height than the uneven region. The uneven region extends from the light-receiving surface of the second solar cell to the back surface of the first solar cell.

Abstract: A solar cell includes a crystal substrate which has a major surface on a light reception side provided with a first texture surface and a major surface on a non-light reception side provided with a second texture surface. The second texture surface occupies 20% or more of the area of the major surface on the non-light reception side.

Abstract: The solar cell includes a collecting electrode on a first principal surface of a photoelectric conversion section. The collecting electrode comprises a first electroconductive layer and a second electroconductive layer in this order from the photoelectric conversion section side. An insulating layer is provided on the first principal surface of the photoelectric conversion section so as to cover substantially the entire surface of the region where the first electroconductive layer is not provided and a part of the first electroconductive layer. The insulating layer on the first electroconductive layer has an opening, and the second electroconductive layer is a plating layer that is in conduction with the first electroconductive layer through the opening section of the insulating layer. The first electroconductive layer contains a metal particle component and an insulating material. The metal particle component of the first electroconductive layer includes primary particles and secondary particles.

Abstract: In manufacturing a crystalline silicon-based solar cell, a first intrinsic thin-film is formed on a conductive single-crystalline silicon substrate, and then a hydrogen plasma etching is performed. A second intrinsic thin-film is formed on the first intrinsic thin-film after the hydrogen plasma etching, and a conductive silicon-based thin-film is formed on the second intrinsic thin-film. The second intrinsic thin-film is formed by plasma-enhanced CVD with a silicon-containing gas and hydrogen being introduced into a CVD chamber. The amount of the hydrogen introduced into the CVD chamber during formation of the second intrinsic thin-film is 50 to 500 times an introduction amount of the silicon-containing gas.

Abstract: A solar cell includes a photoelectric conversion section that, includes an n-type crystal silicon substrate, a p-type silicon-based thin-film provided on a first principal surface, and an n-type silicon-based thin-film provided on a second principal surface, and further includes a first electrode layer on the p-type silicon-based thin-film, and a second electrode layer on the n-type silicon-based thin film. A patterned collector electrode is provided on the first electrode layer. On the first principal surface of the photoelectric conversion section, a wraparound portion of the second electrode layer, an insulating region where neither the first electrode layer nor the second electrode layer is provided, and a first electrode layer-formed region are arranged in this order from a peripheral end.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a crystalline silicon-based solar cell includes forming a first intrinsic silicon-based thin-film on a first principal surface and a lateral surface of an n-type crystalline silicon substrate, forming a p-type silicon-based thin-film on the first intrinsic silicon-based thin-film, forming a first transparent electrode layer on an entire region of the first principal surface except for a peripheral portion, forming a second intrinsic silicon-based thin-film on a second principal surface and the lateral surface of the n-type crystalline silicon substrate, forming an n-type silicon-based thin-film on the second intrinsic silicon-based thin-film, forming a second transparent electrode layer on an entire region of the second principal surface and the lateral surface of the n-type crystalline silicon substrate, forming a patterned collecting electrode on the first transparent electrode layer, and forming a plated metal electrode on the second transparent electrode layer by an electroplati

Abstract: A crystalline silicon-based solar cell includes, in the following order, a crystalline silicon substrate having a first principal surface, a non-single-crystalline silicon-based thin-film, and a transparent electroconductive layer. The non-single-crystalline silicon-based thin-film and the transparent electroconductive layer are disposed on the first principal surface. The non-single-crystalline silicon-based thin-film comprises, in the following order from the first principal surface, an intrinsic silicon-based thin-film and a conductive silicon-based thin-film. The first principal surface has a plurality of pyramidal projections, each having a top portion, a middle portion, and a bottom portion. A thickness of the non-single-crystalline silicon-based thin-film disposed on the top portions is smaller than a thickness of the non-single-crystalline silicon-based thin-film disposed on the middle portions.

Abstract: The crystalline silicon-based solar cell includes a first intrinsic silicon-based thin-film, a p-type silicon-based thin-film, a first transparent electrode layer, and a patterned collecting electrode on a first principal surface of an n-type crystalline silicon substrate; and a second intrinsic silicon-based thin-film, an n-type silicon-based thin-film, a second transparent electrode layer, and a plated metal electrode on a second principal surface of the n-type crystalline-silicon substrate. On a peripheral edge of the first principal surface, an insulating region freed of a short-circuit between the first transparent electrode layer and the second transparent electrode layer is provided. The plated metal electrode is formed on an entire region of the second transparent electrode layer.

Abstract: A crystalline silicon-based solar cell includes a crystalline silicon substrate having a first principal surface, a second principal surface, and a lateral surface. On the first principal surface is arranged, in the following order, a first intrinsic silicon-based thin-film, a first conductive silicon-based thin-film, a light-receiving-side transparent electrode layer and a light-receiving-side metal electrode. On the second principal surface is arranged, in the following order, a second intrinsic silicon-based thin-film, a second conductive silicon-based thin-film, a back-side transparent electrode layer and a back-side metal electrode. The second conductive silicon-based thin-film has a conductivity-type different from that of the first conductive silicon-based thin-film. Both the first principal surface and the second principal surface are textured. Both the light-receiving-side metal electrode and the back-side metal electrode have a pattern shape.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar cell comprises forming a first conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film on a first surface of a substrate; forming a second conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film different from the first conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film, on a second surface of the substrate that is opposite to the first surface of the substrate; forming a first transparent electrode layer on the first conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film; and forming a second transparent electrode layer on the second conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film; forming a first metal seed layer on a first transparent electrode layer; forming a second metal seed layer on a second transparent electrode layer; forming a third metal seed layer on a peripheral edge and on an end-edge of the second conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film; forming a first plating layer on the first metal seed layer and a third plating layer on the third metal seed layer simultaneously by an electroplating method.

Abstract: This solar cell module includes a solar cell and a wiring member. The solar cell includes a collecting electrode on a light-receiving side of a photoelectric conversion section, and a back electrode on a back side of the photoelectric conversion section. Sequentially from the photoelectric conversion section side, the collecting electrode includes a first collecting electrode and a second collecting electrode, and the back electrode comprises a first back electrode and a second back electrode. It is preferable that the surface roughness Ra1 of the first collecting electrode and the surface roughness Ra2 of the second collecting electrode satisfy Ra1?Ra2 and Ra2=1.0 to 10.0 ?m. It is also preferable that the outermost layer of the second collecting electrode and the outermost layer of the second back electrode are mainly composed of the same electroconductive material.

Abstract: A solar cell module includes a solar cell string comprising a plurality of solar cells, a light-receiving-surface protective member disposed on a light receiving surface side of the solar cell string, a back-surface protective member disposed on a back surface side of the solar cell string, and a plurality of metal films. Each of the solar cells includes a photoelectric conversion part, a patterned light-receiving-surface metal electrode provided on a light receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion part, and a patterned back-surface metal electrode provided on a back surface of the photoelectric conversion part. Each of the metal films is provided between the photoelectric conversion part of the solar cell and the back-surface protective member, forming a cell exposed region on a peripheral edge of a back surface of the solar cell.

Abstract: In manufacturing a crystalline silicon-based solar cell, a first intrinsic thin-film is formed on a conductive single-crystalline silicon substrate, and then a hydrogen plasma etching is performed. A second intrinsic thin-film is formed on the first intrinsic thin-film after the hydrogen plasma etching, and a conductive silicon-based thin-film is formed on the second intrinsic thin-film. The second intrinsic thin-film is formed by plasma-enhanced CVD with a silicon-containing gas and hydrogen being introduced into a CVD chamber. The amount of the hydrogen introduced into the CVD chamber during formation of the second intrinsic thin-film is 50 to 500 times an introduction amount of the silicon-containing gas.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar cell comprises forming a first conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film on a first surface of a substrate; forming a second conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film different from the first conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film, on a second surface of the substrate that is opposite to the first surface of the substrate; forming a first transparent electrode layer on the first conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film; and forming a second transparent electrode layer on the second conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film; forming a first metal seed layer on a first transparent electrode layer; forming a second metal seed layer on a second transparent electrode layer; forming a third metal seed layer on a peripheral edge and on an end-edge of the second conductivity-type silicon-based thin-film; forming a first plating layer on the first metal seed layer and a third plating layer on the third metal seed layer simultaneously by an electroplating method.