Abstract: In a deposited-film formation apparatus or process having the means or steps of evacuating the inside of an inside-evacuatable chamber through an evacuation piping by an evacuation means, feeding a material gas into the chamber while evacuating the inside of the chamber, and applying a high-frequency power to form a deposited film on a substrate disposed inside the chamber, a leak is detected on the basis of a measured value of a temperature sensor which detects the heat of reaction that is generated when the material gas fed into the chamber reacts with oxygen contained in air having entered from the outside, so as to be able to stop the material gas feeding. In deposited-film formation apparatus or processes making use of spontaneously ignitable gases, the leak can quickly be detected when air enters the chamber because of any unexpected accident such as a break of piping.

Abstract: In a deposited-film formation apparatus or process having the means or steps of evacuating the inside of an inside-evacuatable chamber through an evacuation piping by an evacuation means, feeding a material gas into the chamber while evacuating the inside of the chamber, and applying a high-frequency power to form a deposited film on a substrate disposed inside the chamber, a leak is detected on the basis of a measured value of a temperature sensor which detects the heat of reaction that is generated when the material gas fed into the chamber reacts with oxygen contained in air having entered from the outside, so as to be able to stop the material gas feeding. In deposited-film formation apparatus or processes making use of spontaneously ignitable gases, the leak can quickly be detected when air enters the chamber because of any unexpected accident such as a break of piping.

Abstract: A substrate-processing method includes at least (a) a step of delivering a web substrate and an interleaf from a substrate delivery bobbin provided in a substrate delivery chamber while the web substrate is transported into a substrate-processing chamber and the interleaf delivered is wound on an interleaf takeup bobbin, and (b) a step of subjecting the web substrate transported into the substrate-processing chamber to desired processing in the substrate-processing chamber. The web substrate processed in the substrate-processing chamber is transported outside the substrate-processing chamber, and transport abnormality of the interleaf in the substrate delivery chamber is detected by a transport abnormality-detecting mechanism.

Abstract: A substrate treatment process includes plural steps of delivering a long substrate with application of tensile force to the substrate, wherein the strength of the tensile force is changed at least between a first delivery step and a second delivery step. This process prevents enlargement of edge waviness of a belt-shaped substrate to stabilize the plasma discharge.

Abstract: In a deposited-film formation apparatus or process having the means or steps of evacuating the inside of an inside-evacuatable chamber through an evacuation piping by an evacuation means, feeding a material gas into the chamber while evacuating the inside of the chamber, and applying a high-frequency power to form a deposited film on a substrate disposed inside the chamber, a leak is detected on the basis of a measured value of a temperature sensor which detects the heat of reaction that is generated when the material gas fed into the chamber reacts with oxygen contained in air having entered from the outside, so as to be able to stop the material gas feeding.

Abstract: A substrate-processing apparatus comprising at least a substrate delivery chamber, a substrate-processing chamber and a substrate takeup chamber, wherein in said substrate delivery chamber, a web substrate and an interleaf are delivered from a delivery bobbin comprising said web substrate and said interleaf alternately wound while said web substrate delivered is transported into said substrate-processing chamber to process said web substrate therein and said interleaf delivered is wound on an interleaf takeup bobbin; in said substrate takeup chamber, said web substrate transported from said substrate-processing chamber and an interleaf delivered from an interleaf delivery bobbin are alternately wound in a roll form on a substrate takeup bobbin, characterized in that said substrate-processing apparatus is provided with a mechanism for detecting transport abnormality of the interleaf at least either in the substrate delivery chamber or in the substrate takeup chamber in order to previously prevent occurrence of

Abstract: A substrate-processing apparatus includes a substrate delivery chamber, a substrate-processing chamber and a substrate takeup chamber, wherein in the substrate delivery chamber, a web substrate and an interleaf are delivered from a delivery bobbin including the web substrate and the interleaf alternately wound while the web substrate delivered is transported into the substrate-processing chamber to process the web substrate therein and the interleaf delivered is wound on an interleaf takeup bobbin. In the substrate takeup chamber, the web substrate transported from the substrate-processing chamber and an interleaf delivered from an interleaf delivery bobbin are alternately wound in a roll form on a substrate takeup bobbin. The substrate-processing apparatus is provided with a mechanism for detecting transport abnormality of the interleaf either in the substrate delivery chamber or in the substrate takeup chamber.

Abstract: A substrate-processing method comprising transporting a substrate to pass through a plurality of processing spaces communicated with each other while processing said substrate in each processing space, characterized in that based on an inner pressure of (a) one of said plurality of processing spaces, said inner pressure of said processing space (a) and an inner pressure of (b) at least one of the processing spaces arranged before or after said processing space (a) are controlled.

Abstract: In the step of forming a microcrystalline i-type semiconductor layer by high-frequency plasma CVD, wherein an area of the parallel-plate electrode is represented by S; a width of the discharge space in its direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the belt-like substrate, by Ws; a width of a region formed by the parallel-plate electrode together with its surrounding insulating region, in its direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the belt-like substrate, by Wc; a width of the belt-like substrate in the direction perpendicular to its transport, by Wk; a distance between the parallel-plate electrode and the belt-like substrate, by h; a power density at which crystal fraction begins to saturate at predetermined substrate temperature, material gas flow rate and pressure, by Pd; and a high-frequency power, by P, 2h/(Ws−Wc)≧2.5, (Ws/h)×2(Ws−Wk)/[4h+(Ws−Wc) ]≧10, and P≧(10/8)×Pd×S.

Abstract: A substrate treatment process is disclosed which comprises plural steps of delivering a long substrate with application of tensile force to the substrate, wherein the strength of the tensile force is changed at least between a first delivery step and a second delivery step. This process prevents enlargement of edge waviness of a belt-shaped substrate to stabilize the plasma discharge.

Abstract: In order to maintain excellent electrical, optical and photoconductive characteristics and to significantly improve the durability under adverse environments, a light receiving member for electrophotography according to the present invention comprises in sequence: a supporting member and a light receiving layer; said light receiving layer comprising in sequence at least a photoconductive layer and a surface layer thereon, said photoconductive layer comprising a non-single-crystal material containing silicon atoms as a matrix, and said surface layer comprising an amorphous material containing silicon atoms and carbon atoms as a matrix, wherein the carbon atoms are at least diamond-bonded and graphite-bonded, and wherein from 2% to 30% by number of the carbon atoms are graphite-bonded.

Abstract: In the step of forming a microcrystalline i-type semiconductor layer by high-frequency plasma CVD, where an area of the parallel-plate electrode is represented by S; a width of the discharge space in its direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the belt-like substrate, by Ws; a width of a region formed by the parallel-plate electrode together with its surrounding insulating region, in its direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the belt-like substrate, by Wc; a width of the belt-like substrate in the direction perpendicular to its transport, by Wk; a distance between the parallel-plate electrode and the belt-like substrate, by h; a power density at which crystal fraction begins to saturate at predetermined substrate temperature, material gas flow rate and pressure, by Pd; and a high-frequency power, by P; these are set as follows:

Abstract: To provide a deposited-film forming process and a deposited-film forming apparatus that may cause no scratches on the film forming surface to improve yield and enable stable discharge to thereby continuously form deposited films having uniform quality and uniform thickness, deposited films are formed by lengthwise continuously transporting a belt-like substrate so as to form a part of a discharge space, wherein the substrate is transported while bringing the transverse sectional shape of the substrate which forms a part of the discharge space into a curved shape by a roller.

Abstract: A process for forming a deposited film, a process for manufacturing a semiconductor element and a process for manufacturing a photoelectric conversion element are disclosed which each comprises a step of forming a first conductivity type semiconductor layer comprising a non-monocrystalline semiconductor on a substrate, a step of forming a substantially i-type semiconductor layer comprising an amorphous semiconductor on the first conductivity type semiconductor layer, a step of forming a substantially i-type semiconductor layer comprising a microcrystalline semiconductor on the substantially i-type semiconductor layer comprising the amorphous semiconductor while decreasing the film forming rate thereof and a step of forming a second conductivity type semiconductor layer comprising a non-monocrystalline semiconductor on the substantially i-type semiconductor layer comprising the microcrystalline semiconductor.

Abstract: A process is provided for producing a photovoltaic element which has at least one pin junction, and a buffering semiconductor layer constituted of plural sublayers between an n-type layer and an i-type layer and/or between an i-type layer and a p-type layer, through production steps of introducing a source material gas into an electric discharge space in a reaction chamber, and decomposing the source material gas by plasma discharge to form a non-monocrystalline semiconductor layer. In the process, in electric discharge generation for formation of at least one of the sublayers, the polarity of the electrode confronting the substrate for formation of a first sublayer and the polarity of the electrode confronting the substrate for formation of a second sublayer adjacent to the first sublayer is made different from each other, or the potential of one of the electrodes is set at zero volt. Thereby, diffusion of the dopant from the p-type layer or the n-type layer into the i-type layer is prevented effectively.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element comprising a substrate, a plurality of semiconductor junctions made of non-single-crystalline semiconductors formed on the substrate, and a surface material covering the semiconductor junctions is provided. The semiconductor junctions have respective absorption spectra different from each other and respective photo-deterioration rates different from each other. A photo-current generated by the semiconductor junction of the least deterioration rate is larger than that by the semiconductor junction of the greatest deterioration rate when no surface material is present, and when present, the surface material absorbs light in a range corresponding to a part of the absorption spectrum of the semiconductor junction of the least deterioration rate, so that the photo-current generated by the semiconductor junction of the least deterioration rate becomes smaller than that by the semiconductor junction of the greatest deterioration rate.

Abstract: A deposit film forming apparatus is characterized in that a temperature control member for controlling the temperature of a wall of deposition chamber is in contact with an outer wall of a deposition chamber through a heat conductivity adjusting plate, which can prevent overcooling while suppressing an increase in the temperature of the wall of deposition chamber during film formation and which can maintain the temperature of the wall of deposition chamber at a preferable temperature for deposition of film for a long time, thereby forming a deposit film. As a result, the apparatus can mass-produce deposit films of stable quality, especially, large-area and good-quality photovoltaic elements utilizing amorphous semiconductors, over a long period.

Abstract: A process for producing a light-receiving member comprising a substrate and provided thereon a blocking layer and a photoconductive layer each comprised of a non-monocrystalline material is disclosed in which the blocking layer is comprised of a non-monocrystalline material comprising silicon atoms as matrix and at least one kind of atoms selected from the group consisting of carbon atoms, oxygen atoms and nitrogen atoms, the process comprising forming the blocking layer and the photoconductive layer by plasma CVD using glow discharge decomposition of a starting material gas caused by applying to the starting material gas an electromagnetic wave with a frequency of from 20 MHz to 450 MHz.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising a substrate and a light receiving layer composed of a silicon-containing non-single crystal material disposed on said substrate, characterized in that said light receiving layer contains a plurality of columnar structure regions each grown from a nucleus situated in said light receiving layer wherein said plurality of columnar structure regions are arranged substantially in parallel to the thicknesswise direction of said light receiving layer and at a density in the range of 5/cm.sup.2 to 500/cm.sup.2.

Abstract: In order to improve characteristics of a light-receiving member for electrophotography having a photoconductive layer comprising an amorphous silicon material and implement a method for facilitating designing of a layer structure, the present invention provides a light-receiving member which is formed by depositing in sequence a photoconductive layer which comprises a non-monocrystalline material comprising silicon atoms as a main element and a surface layer on a conductive substrate, wherein the photoconductive layer comprises at least hydrogenated amorphous silicon which contains at least carbon atoms and boron atoms and the boron atom content in the photoconductive layer in a direction of film thickness is varied in a correlation of exponential functions with respect to the carbon atom content in the photoconductive layer in the direction of film thickness, and a method for producing the light-receiving member by forming a layer while controlling a charge of a starting gas for the boron atoms in the correl