Abstract: A moisture-harvesting device capable of harvesting moisture, which can be also used as drinking water or the like, from atmospheric air. The moisture-harvesting device includes: an atmospheric-air introduction unit; an atmospheric moisture converter that is provided with a mechanism for reducing a pressure of atmospheric air introduced by the atmospheric-air introduction unit and is equipped with a cooling section for cooling the introduced atmospheric air and extracting a moisture content; a water intake cock, that extracts water obtained by the atmospheric moisture converter; and a filter unit that has first to fifth fitters and is provided at an upstream side from the water intake cock, and removes foreign matter from the water obtained by the atmospheric moisture converter, whereby it is possible to harvest the moisture, which can be also used as the drinking water or the like, from the atmospheric air.

Abstract: In a display device having, at least, picture elements which are arrayed on a transparent insulating substrate, and transistor portions which are formed of a semiconductor layer formed on the transparent insulating substrate; a display device characterized in that, at least, interconnection parts of the transistor portions extend above the semiconductor layer formed on the transparent insulating substrate.The disconnection of the interconnection parts can be avoided.

Abstract: There is disclosed a semiconductor device comprising at least first and second semiconductor layers positioned to form a hetero-junction therebetween, such a hetero-junction being adapted to form a channel, means for controlling carriers, and source and drain areas on opposite edges of the channel, wherein the first and second semiconductor layers formed between the source and drain regions have an area containing only 10.sup.16 cm.sup.-3 or less of an impurity; the first semiconductor layer has a wider forbidden band than that of the second semiconductor layer; and further including at least one semiconductor layer having a higher activation efficiency of impurities than that of the first semiconductor layer, with such at least one semiconductor layer being located on the side of the first semiconductor layer not in contact with the second semiconductor layer. A multi-quantum well structure may be used as the higher impurity activation efficiency semiconductor layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrophotographic member which is highly sensitive to the light of long wavelengths. Amorphous silicon is used as a photosensitive base member. A long wavelength sensitizing region has a narrower forbidden band gap width than that of the base member, and consists of at least two semiconductor films that are laminated and that have at least different forbidden band gap widths or different conductivities. An increased number of semiconductor films may, of course, be laminated to constitute the sensitizing region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a polycrystalline semiconductor film body having at least one element selected from a group consisting of hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium included mainly around grain boundaries of the polycrystalline semiconductor film. The simultaneous inclusion of one of the halogen elements and one of the monovalent metal elements of the group described above is more effective to quench charges of the elements included. The content of the elements included is up to 40% by atomic ratio. As a result, the electronic characteristic of the polycrystalline semiconductor film are substantially improved.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device having at least a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer which are arranged so as to form a heterojunction, an edge of a conduction band of the first semiconductor layer being positioned lower in energy than an edge of a conduction band of the second semiconductor layer in the vicinity of the heterojunction, at least one pair of electrodes which are electronically connected with the first semiconductor layer, and means to control carriers induced in the vicinity of the heterojunction; a semiconductor device characterized in that a low impurity concentration region is comprised in at least the part of the first semiconductor layer between the pair of electrodes, that a region adjoining each of the pair of electrodes is a high impurity concentration region, and that at least one layer containing an impurity which has a conductivity type identical or opposite to that of an impurity contained in the aforementioned regions is comprised in the first semiconductor layer.

Abstract: An imaging display device characterized by comprising a pair of transparent substrates which are arranged in opposition to each other with a predetermined interval therebetween, photoelectric elements which are disposed in a large number between the substrates and in adjacency to one of the substrates and which convert light signals from outside the one substrate into electric signals, and a large number of electrooptic elements which are disposed between the other substrate and the respective photoelectric elements and in a predetermined relationship of correspondence with the photoelectric elements and which generate light signals by utilizing parts of the electric signals of the corresponding photoelectric elements.

Abstract: The semiconductor device of the present invention is characterized by a device consisting of at least a heterojunction formed by the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer where the forbidden band gap of the said first semiconductor is smaller than that of the said second semiconductor, at least one pair of electrode regions connected electronically to the said first semiconductor and a means to control the carrier density in the said first semiconductor layer where the impurities are not included effectively in the region in the first semiconductor under the means to control the carriers and are included in the region adjacent to the said one pair of electrodes. The density of the impurities in these region are preferably be larger than 10.sup.16 cm.sup.-3.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photoelectric device having at least a signal electrode, and an amorphous photoconductor layer whose principal constituent is silicon and which contains hydrogen as an indispensable constituent element, the amorphous photoconductor layer being disposed in adjacency to the signal electrode, characterized by comprising a thin layer interposed between the signal electrode and the amorphous photoconductor layer, the thin layer being made of an inorganic material whose principal constituent is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of oxides of at least one element selected from the group that consists of Si, Ti, Al, Mg, Ba, Ta, Bi, V, Ni, Th, Fe, La, Be, Sc and Co, nitrides of at least one element selected from the group that consists of Ga, Si, Mg, Te, Hf, Zr, Nb and B, and halides of at least one element selected from the group that consists of Na, Mg, Li, Ba, Ca and K.

Abstract: An image pickup tube of high velocity electron beam scanning and negatively charging system having a target including, on a transparent substrate, at least a transparent conductive film, a photoconductive layer, a layer for emitting secondary electrons, and stripe electrodes. The transparent substrate may be made of amorphous silicon.

Abstract: A thin film solar cell formed on a substrate, comprising at least first and second electrodes, at least one of which is capable of passing light, a silicon film interposed between said first and second electrodes, and at least one junction formed in the silicon film for separating electrons and positive holes when the cell is exposed to light, wherein said silicon film comprises a mixed phase consisting of a polycrystalline phase and an amorphous phase, and includes at least about 50% by volume of fibrous crystalline grains, each of said grains having a maximum bottom diameter of about 1 .mu.m and a minimum height of about 50 nm and having its grain boundaries terminated with a monovalent element.The solar cell has a high photoelectric conversion efficiency comparable to that of a single-crystal solar cell, and can be produced at a low cost.

Abstract: Disclosed is a light sensitive screen including at least a light-transmitting conductive film and a photoconductive layer, the light-transmitting conductive film being arranged on a side of incidence of light, characterized in that the photoconductive layer is constructed of a single layer or a plurality of layers of one or more photoconductive substances, at least one of such photoconductive substance layers being formed of an amorphous silicon material which contains at least 5 atomic-% to 30 atomic-% of hydrogen, whose optical forbidden band gap is 1.65 eV to 2.25 eV and whose peak component in an infrared absorption spectrum at a wave number of 2,100 cm.sup.-1 is greater than that at a wave number of 2,000 cm.sup.-1. Various characteristics of an imaging device provided with the light sensitive screen, such as dark current, lag and after image characteristics, are improved.

Abstract: There is disclosed a photoelectric conversion device comprising a transparent substrate; a transparent conductive film formed on said substrate; a photoconductive layer formed of hydrogenated amorphous silicon as an indispensable component and deposited on said transparent conductive film; and a chalcogen glass film formed on said photoconductive layer, wherein said chalcogen glass film includes at least a chalcogen glass layer formed in an atmosphere of inert gas kept at 1.5.times.10.sup.-2 to 1.5.times.10.sup.-1 Torr. As chalcogen glass is preferably used Sb.sub.2 S.sub.3, As.sub.2 S.sub.3, As.sub.2 Se.sub.3 or Sb.sub.2 Se.sub.3. The chalcogen glass film may be a composite film consisting of plural component layers. This invention is very useful to reduce dark current in an image pickup tube and to prevent image inversion in the image pickup tube.

Abstract: A photoelectric device having at least a predetermined impurity region which is disposed in a semiconductor substrate, and a photoelectric conversion portion which is constructed by stacking an electrode layer lying in contact with at least a part of the impurity region, a photoconductive material layer overlying the electrode layer, and a transparent electrode overlying the photoconductive material layer, characterized in that the photoconductive material layer is made of an amorphous chalcogenide material which principally contains Se, is disclosed. It is very favorable that the photoelectric conversion material layer made of the amorphous material principally containing Se is partially doped with Te so as to enhance its sensitivity. The amorphous chalcogenide material is very useful in the following point.

Abstract: In preparing an image pickup device by using hydrogen-containing amorphous silicon for a photoconductive layer, a hydrogen-containing amorphous silicon layer is first formed and is then heat-treated at 100.degree. to 300.degree. C. The image pickup characteristics of the amorphous silicon layer are highly improved by this heat treatment. For example, the lag and dark current are reduced and the signal current-target voltage characteristic is improved. Especially excellent improving effects can be obtained when amorphous silicon characterized in that (1) the hydrogen content is 5 to 30 atomic %, (2) the optical forbidden band gap is 1.30 to 1.95 eV and (3) in the infrared absorption spectrum, the component of a wave number of 2000 cm.sup.-1 is observed larger than the component of a wave number of 2100 cm.sup.-1 is subjected to the above-mentioned heat treatment. The adhesion to the substrate is enhanced, and good image pickup characteristics can be obtained.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic member employing an amorphous silicon photoconductive layer, a part which is at least 10 nm thick inwardly of the amorphous silicon layer from the surface (or interface) of the amorphous silicon layer is made of amorphous silicon which has an optical forbidden band gap of at least 1.6 eV and a resistivity of at least 10.sup.10 .OMEGA..cm. The electrophotographic member exhibits a satisfactory resolution and good dark-decay characteristics. Further, a region which has an optical forbidden band gap narrower than that of the amorphous silicon forming the surface (or interface) region is disposed within the amorphous silicon layer to a thickness of at least 10 nm, whereby the sensitivity of the electrophotographic member to longer wavelengths of light can be enhanced.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrophotographic member having an amorphous-silicon photoconductive layer, wherein the distance between a portion in which light illuminating the photoconductor is absorbed therein until its intensity decreases to 1% of that at incidence and the interface of the photoconductor opposite to the light incidence side thereof is at most 5 .mu.m, whereby the residual potential of the photoconductive layer can be reduced.That part of the photoconductive layer constituting the electrophotographic member which is at least 10 nm thick inwardly of the photoconductive layer from the surface thereof to store charges is made of amorphous silicon which has an optical forbidden band gap of at least 1.6 eV and a resistivity of at least 10.sup.10 .OMEGA..multidot.cm. Further, within such photoconductive layer, a region of amorphous silicon which has an optical forbidden band gap smaller than that of the amorphous silicon forming the surface part is disposed at a thickness of at least 10 nm.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrophotographic member having at least a supporter and a photoconductor layer formed mainly of amorphous silicon, characterized in that the amorphous silicon contains at least 50 atomic-% of silicon and at least 1 atomic-% of hydrogen as an average within the layer, and that a part which is at least 10 nm thick from a surface or/and interface of the photoconductor layer toward the interior of the photoconductor layer has a hydrogen content in a range of at least 1 atomic-% to at most 40 atomic-% and an optical forbidden band gap in a range of at least 1.3 eV to at most 2.5 eV and also has the property that an intensity of at least one of peaks having centers at wave numbers of approximately 2,200 cm.sup.-1, approximately 1,140 cm.sup.-1, approximately 1,040 cm.sup.-1, approximately 650 cm.sup.-1, approximately 860 cm.sup.-1 and approximately 800 cm.sup.

Abstract: In a solid-state imaging device having a plurality of photosensitive portions and a semiconductor substrate which includes at least scanning means for scanning the photosensitive portions, the photosensitive portions including a layer of a photosensitive material overlying the semiconductor substrate and a transparent electrically conductive film overlying the photosensitive material layer; a solid-state imaging device characterized in that the photosensitive material is an amorphous material whose indispensable constituent is silicon and which contains hydrogen. The hydrogen content of the photosensitive material is preferably 5 atomic-% to 30 atomic-%, especially 10 atomic-% to 25 atomic-%.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic member employing an amorphous silicon photoconductive layer, a part which is at least 10 nm thick inwardly of the amorphous silicon layer from the surface (or interface) of the amorphous silicon layer is made of amorphous silicon which has an optical forbidden band gap of at least 1.6 eV and a resistivity of at least 10.sup.10 .OMEGA..cm. The electrophotographic member exhibits a satisfactory resolution and good dark-decay characteristics. Further, a region which has an optical forbidden band gap narrower than that of the amorphous silicon forming the surface (or interface) region is disposed within the amorphous silicon layer to a thickness of at least 10 nm, whereby the sensitivity of the electrophotographic member to longer wavelengths of light can be enhanced.