Abstract: A method of manufacturing an amorphous silicon thin film exhibiting excellent quality for use in a TFT, a photosensor or a solar cell at a low cost by a plasma CVD method utilizing high frequency discharge, the method being consisting of steps of using a silicon compound such as SiH.sub.4 as raw material gas, making the frequency f (MHz) of a high frequency power source to be 30 MHz or higher, and applying negative voltage to an electrode of a substrate if necessary. Furthermore, it is preferably that the relationship between the distance d (cm) between electrodes and the frequency f (MHz) of the high frequency power source satisfies f(HMz)/d (cm)<30 HMz/cm.

Abstract: A semiconductor commutator which is constructed by joining a semiconductor region of the first conductivity type and a semiconductor region of the second conductivity type, wherein there is provided a grain boundary which is located near a junction surface of the semiconductor region of the first conductivity type and the semiconductor region of the second conductivity type so as not to cross said junction surface.

Abstract: A semiconductor commutator which is constructed by joining a semiconductor region of the first conductivity type and a semiconductor region of the second conductivity type, wherein there is provided a grain boundary which is located near a junction surface of the semiconductor region of the first conductivity type and the semiconductor region of the second conductivity type so as not to cross said junction surface.

Abstract: A photosensor includes a semiconductor substrate of a first-conductivity type with a photoelectric conversion element such as photodiode thereon. The photodiode has a second, opposite conductivity and is surrounded at all of the bottom and sides by a domain having the second conductivity and a high impurity concentration. A first-conductivity domains forms a junction with the second-conductivity domain, and the photodiode is separated from other semiconductor elements by a first-conductivity domain.

Abstract: An electroluminescent device comprising a first electrode, a second electrode and an electroluminescence emission zone, the electroluminescence emission zone being made of a first electroluminescence emission layer, a second electroluminescence emission layer, and a transparent electrode which is interposed between the first electroluminescence emission layer and the second electroluminescence emission layer. At least either the first electrode or the second electrode is a transparent electrode. The first electroluminescence emission layer and the second electroluminescence emission layer emit light by applying a driving voltage to the transparent electrode with both the first electrode and the second electrode connected to a power supply for a reference voltage. In an image sensor using such an electroluminescent device as a light source, the electric field produced by the driving signal of the electroluminescent device does not escape outward, presenting no interfering noise to the image sensor.

Abstract: An MIS transistor has a channel portion of a first conduction type of first semiconductor material formed on an insulating substrate, second conduction type source and drain regions sandwiching said channel portion therebetween, and a gate electrode formed on a main surface of the channel portion with an insulating film therebetween, wherein the source region is made of the first semiconductor material and a second semiconductor material having an energy band gap smaller than that of the first semiconductor material and a heterojunction between the first and second semiconductor materials is provided outside of a depletion layer region formed in the junction between the source and channel portions, and inside a diffusion length L.sub.d from a depletion edge.

Abstract: A thin film transistor is provided with a semiconductor layer disposed on an insulating layer region having a channel region and a plurality of main electrode regions having an impurity concentration higher than an impurity concentration of the channel region. A second insulating layer region is disposed on the semiconductor region layer, and a control electrode is disposed on the second insulating layer. An interface is defined between at least one of the main electrode regions and the channel regions through a thickness of the semiconductor layer becoming increasing remote from its side of the control electrode in the direction from the second insulating layer region toward the first insulating layer region. An original point is defined as a position of the interface immediately beneath the insulating layer region. When a layer thickness of the semiconductor region is defined as T.sub.SOI and a maximum distance of the semiconductor layer region in the direction normal to a layer thickness is defined as L.

Abstract: An electroluminescent device comprising a first electrode, a second electrode and an electroluminescence emission zone, the electroluminescence emission zone being made of a first electroluminescence emission layer, a second electroluminescence emission layer, and a transparent electrode which is interposed between the first electroluminescence emission layer and the second electroluminescence emission layer. At least either the first electrode or the second electrode is a transparent electrode. The first electroluminescence emission layer and the second electro luminescence emission layer emit light by applying a driving voltage to the transparent electrode with both the first electrode and the second electrode connected to a power supply for a reference voltage. In an image sensor using such an electroluminescent device as a light source, the electric field produced by the driving signal of the electroluminescent device does not escape outward, presenting no interfering noise to the image sensor.

Abstract: A process for producing a crystal article comprises the step of preparing a substrate having a concavity and a nucleation surface provided thereon, said nucleation surface being constituted of a material which is sufficiently greater in nucleation density than the material constituting the bottom surface of the concavity and having a surface area which is sufficiently small to the extent such only a single nucleus can grow, the step of forming a single nucleus on said nucleation surface and permitting a single crystal to grow by applying crystal growth treatment onto said nucleus, and the step of removing the surface portion of the crystal formed over the upper surface of the convexity of said substrate by selective polishing.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photo sensor in which a photoelectric converter having a P-N junction and an amplifying section having a bipolar transistor to amplify an output of this converter are integrally formed in a semiconductor substrate. The input stage of the amplifying section has an insulating gate type transistor, and the output of the photoelectric converter is inputted to the gate electrode of this transistor. The photosensing surface of the photoelectric converter is covered by a transparent ptotection film, and a thickness of this film is determined so as to make the reflection factor of the incident light at the photo sensing surface of the photoelectirc converter zero. In manufacturing of this photo sensor, the base region of the bipolar transistor and one region of the P-N junction of the photoelectric converter of the same conductivity type as the base region are simultaneously formed.

Abstract: A process for producing a crystal article comprises the steps of: forming on a substrate surface a layer (S) comprising a different material (S) providing a nucleation density of the crystal nucleus to be formed sufficiently smaller than the amorphous material (L) constituting the substrate surface, forming an opening on said layer (S) so that the exposed portion of said substrate surface may have an area sufficiently small to the extent that a single crystal may grow only from the single crystal nucleus formed, permitting a single crystal to grow on the exposed portion of the substrate surface at said opening with the single crystal nucleus as the center, and flattening the surface of the grown single crystal by removing a part thereof.

Abstract: A process for producing a semiconductor device provided with a bipolar transistor and a gate-insulated transistor in which a bipolar semiconductor domain is formed on a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type. An oxide layer is formed on the bipolar semiconductor domain and on the remaining semiconductor layer. The oxide layer is selectively removed to form an aperture in an area at least on the semiconductor domain, and an emitter domain is formed on the bipolar semiconductor domain. Plural polysilicon layers, each having an impurity of the first conductivity type, are formed on the aperture and on the oxide layer as a gate electrode of the gate-insulated transistor.

Abstract: There is a photosensor in which a photoelectric converter having a P-N junction and an amplifying section having a bipolar transistor to amplify an output of this converter are integrally formed in a semiconductor substrate. The input stage of the amplifying section has an insulating gate type transistor, and the output of the photoelectric converter is inputted to the gate electrode of this transistor. The photosensing surface of the photoelectric converter is covered by a transparent protection film, and a thickness of this film is determined so as to make the reflection factor of the incident light at the photosensing surface of the photoelectric converter zero. In the manufacturing of this photosensor, the base region of the bipolar transistor and one region of the P-N junction of the photoelectric converter of the same conductivity type as the base region are simultaneously formed.

Abstract: A solar battery comprises a substrate, a first semiconductor layer of a first conduction type comprising a single crystal singly grown on a nucleation surface (S.sub.NDL) formed on the surface of said substrate as the base for growing, said nucleation surface (S.sub.NDL) being comprised of a material which is sufficiently greater in nucleation density (ND) than the material constituting the surface of said substrate and having a sufficiently fine area such that only a single nucleus grows, a second semiconductor layer of a second conduction type different than the conduction type of said first semiconductor layer and means for taking out the power.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a circuit portion formed on a substrate, a light shielding layer for shielding the circuit portion from light, stacked on the substrate with an insulation layer being interleaved therebetween, and means for shielding the circuit portion from obliquely impinging light.

Abstract: A photosensor device having a semiconductor layer disposed on a substrate. The semiconductor layer includes a lateral photosensor having a semiconductor junction arranged in a serpentine configuration and a lateral read-out switch. The lateral read-out switch and the lateral photosensor are formed on the semiconductor layer. The lateral photosensor has an area of a first conductivity type semiconductor and an area of a second conductivity type semiconductor. The lateral read-out switch includes an area of the first conductivity type and an area of the second conductivity type. The lateral photosensor and the lateral read-out switch are laterally adjacent, and substantially coplanar on the substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided with plural charge accumulation type sensor elements, each of the sensor elements having an active semiconductor region. Plural charge transferring elements transfer charge signals which are stored in the sensor elements, each of the charge transferring elements corresponding to a respective one of the sensor elements. A common conductive member is provided with an insulating member to be capacitively coupled with the sensor elements. An operating member produces a drive signal to drive the charge transferring elements and detects the voltage signal on the common conductive member. The charge transferring elements are controlled on the basis of a voltage signal corresponding to the respective voltages accumulated in the sensor elements in accordance with a voltage of the common conductive member.

Abstract: A semiconductor commutator is provided with first and second semiconductor regions joined at a junction formed therebetween. The first semiconductor region is of the first conductivity type at the second semiconductor region is of the opposite conductivity type. A grain boundary is provided near the junction and within a region, through which a carrier passes, between electrodes respectively provided on the semiconductor regions.

Abstract: A diffusing plate having a smooth rough surface is obtained by recording on a photosensitive material the image of a mask having a regular fine pattern thereon, treating the photosensitive material to thereby obtain a photosensitive material having smooth roughness, transferring the smooth roughness of the treated photosensitive material to a metal mold, and embossing plastics on the metal mold.

Abstract: This application relates to a diffusion plate having microlens-like curved surfaces of a size of 10 to several tens of .mu.m arranged periodically in two dimensions on the surface of the substrate thereof. Curved surfaces are formed between the microlens-like curved surfaces. Further, irregularly arranged minute concave and/or convex surfaces are formed on the microlens-like curved surfaces.