Abstract: A method for producing a solar cell having good photoelectric conversion characteristics with high productivity, including the steps of: forming a first electrode on a first main surface of a semiconductor substrate; applying an insulator film precursor to cover at least part of the first electrode; temporarily curing the insulator film precursor; applying a conductive paste to at least the insulator film precursor; curing the conductive paste to form a second electrode; and completely curing the insulator film precursor to form an insulator film, the method in which the step of applying the conductive paste so as to be electrically insulated from the first electrode is performed after the step of temporarily curing the insulator film precursor and at least part of the steps of curing the conductive paste to form the second electrode and completely curing the insulator film precursor to form the insulator film are concurrently performed.

Abstract: Provided is a solar cell including, on a first main surface of a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type, a base layer which has the first conductivity type, and an emitter layer which is adjacent to the base layer and has a second conductivity type which is a conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, and further including a base collecting electrode provided on at least the base layer, and a part of the base collecting electrode is also arranged on the emitter layer adjacent to the base layer on which the base collecting electrode is arranged. Consequently, the inexpensive solar cell having high photoelectric conversion efficiency can be provided.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate having an electrode formed thereon, the electrode including at least silver and glass frit, the electrode including: a multi-layered structure with a first electrode layer joined directly to the semiconductor substrate, and an upper electrode layer formed of at least one layer and disposed on the first electrode layer. The upper electrode layer is formed by firing a conductive paste having a total silver content of 75 wt % or more and 95 wt % or less, the content of silver particles having an average particle diameter of 4 ?m or greater and 8 ?m or smaller with respect to the total silver content in the upper electrode layer being higher than that in the first electrode layer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a semiconductor substrate having at least an electrode formed thereon, in which the electrode has a multilayer structure including two or more layers, of the multilayer structure, at least a first electrode layer directly bonded to the semiconductor substrate contains at least silver and a glass frit, and contains, as an additive, at least one of oxides of Ti, Bi, Zr, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Si, Al, Ge, Sn, Pb, and Zn, and, of an electrode layer formed on the first electrode layer, at least an uppermost electrode layer to be bonded to a wire contains at least silver and a glass frit and does not contain the additive. This makes it possible to form, on a semiconductor substrate, an electrode adhered to the semiconductor substrate with sufficient adhesive strength and adhered to a wire via solder with sufficient adhesive strength by lowering both contact resistance and interconnect resistance.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate having an electrode formed thereon, the electrode including at least silver and glass frit, the electrode including: a multi-layered structure with a first electrode layer joined directly to the semiconductor substrate, and an upper electrode layer formed of at least one layer and disposed on the first electrode layer. The upper electrode layer is formed by firing a conductive paste having a total silver content of 75 wt % or more and 95 wt % or less, the content of silver particles having an average particle diameter of 4 ?m or greater and 8 ?m or smaller with respect to the total silver content in the upper electrode layer being higher than that in the first electrode layer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a semiconductor substrate having an electrode formed thereon, the electrode including at least silver and glass frit, the electrode including: a multi-layered structure constituted of a first electrode layer joined directly to the semiconductor substrate, and an upper electrode layer formed of at least one layer and disposed on the first electrode layer; wherein the upper electrode layer is formed by firing a conductive paste having a total silver content of 75 wt % or more and 95 wt % or less, the content of silver particles having an average particle diameter of 4 ?m or greater and 8 ?m or smaller with respect to the total silver content in the upper electrode layer being higher than that in the first electrode layer. As a consequence, it is possible to form the electrode, which has the high aspect ratio and hardly suffers an inconvenience such as a break, on the semiconductor substrate by a simple method.

Abstract: A screen printing plate having at least an opening portion that discharges a printing material for forming a target printing pattern on a matter to be printed is provided in screen printing, and the screen printing plate is characterized in that the size of the opening portion is reduced from the target printing pattern and an opening end portion of the opening portion has a projection and recess pattern shaped differently from the target printing pattern shape. By this arrangement, bleeding of the printing material of the screen printing can be controlled and a high-quality and low-cost screen printing plate is provided which can print a target printing pattern accurately and with high transfer performance even for a fine design.

Abstract: A solar cell (100) comprising a semiconductor solar cell substrate (66) having a light receiving surface formed on the first major surface and generating photovoltaic power based on the light impinging on the light receiving surface, wherein the light receiving surface of the semiconductor solar cell substrate (66) is coated with a light receiving surface side insulating film (61) composed of an inorganic insulating material where the cationic component principally comprising silicon, and the light receiving surface side insulating film (61) is a low hydrogen content inorganic insulating film containing less than 10 atm % of hydrogen. A solar cell having an insulating film exhibiting excellent passivation effect insusceptible to aging can thereby be provided.

Abstract: A solar cell (100) comprising a semiconductor solar cell substrate (66) having a light receiving surface formed on the first major surface and generating photovoltaic power based on the light impinging on the light receiving surface, wherein the light receiving surface of the semiconductor solar cell substrate (66) is coated with a light receiving surface side insulating film (61) composed of an inorganic insulating material where the cationic component principally comprising silicon, and the light receiving surface side insulating film (61) is a low hydrogen content inorganic insulating film containing less than 10 atm % of hydrogen. A solar cell having an insulating film exhibiting excellent passivation effect insusceptible to aging can thereby be provided.

Abstract: The present invention is an electrode material comprising at least, a silver powder, a glass frit, and an organic vehicle, wherein a rate of Ag content of the electrode material is 75 wt % to 95 wt %, and a ratio of contents of Ag grains having an average grain diameter of 0.5 ?m to 3 ?m and Ag grains having an average grain diameter of 4 ?m to 8 ?m in the electrode material is (the Ag grains having an average grain diameter of 0.5 ?m to 3 ?m):(the Ag grains having an average grain diameter of 4 ?m to 8 ?m)=20-80 wt %:80-20 wt %, and a solar cell comprising an electrode formed by using the electrode material. Thereby, an electrode material that can be stably filled in an electrode groove formed on a semiconductor device and that an electrode with narrow line width and small resistance loss can be easily formed by, and a solar cell with high power having an electrode formed by using the electrode material are provided.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a solar cell forms a large number of grooves on a first main surface of a p-type silicon single crystal substrate sliced out from a silicon single crystal ingot as described below. First an edge portion of a groove-carving blade is projected out from a flat substrate feeding surface of a working table by a predetermined height. The p-type silicon single crystal substrate is moved along the substrate feeding surface towards the rotating groove-carving blade while keeping a close contact of the first main surface thereof with the substrate feeding surface. Electrodes are then formed on the inner side face of thus-carved grooves only on one side in the width-wise direction thereof.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a semiconductor substrate having an electrode formed thereon, the electrode including at least silver and glass frit, the electrode including: a multi-layered structure constituted of a first electrode layer joined directly to the semiconductor substrate, and an upper electrode layer formed of at least one layer and disposed on the first electrode layer; wherein the upper electrode layer is formed by firing a conductive paste having a total silver content of 75 wt % or more and 95 wt % or less, the content of silver particles having an average particle diameter of 4 ?m or greater and 8 ?m or smaller with respect to the total silver content in the upper electrode layer being higher than that in the first electrode layer. As a consequence, it is possible to form the electrode, which has the high aspect ratio and hardly suffers an inconvenience such as a break, on the semiconductor substrate by a simple method.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a semiconductor substrate having at least an electrode formed thereon, in which the electrode has a multilayer structure including two or more layers, of the multilayer structure, at least a first electrode layer directly bonded to the semiconductor substrate contains at least silver and a glass frit, and contains, as an additive, at least one of oxides of Ti, Bi, Zr, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Si, Al, Ge, Sn, Pb, and Zn, and, of an electrode layer formed on the first electrode layer, at least an uppermost electrode layer to be bonded to a wire contains at least silver and a glass frit and does not contain the additive. This makes it possible to form, on a semiconductor substrate, an electrode adhered to the semiconductor substrate with sufficient adhesive strength and adhered to a wire via solder with sufficient adhesive strength by lowering both contact resistance and interconnect resistance.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for manufacturing a solar cell by forming a p-n junction in a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type, wherein, at least: a first coating material containing a dopant and an agent for preventing a dopant from scattering, and a second coating material containing a dopant, are coated on the semiconductor substrate having the first conductivity type so that the second coating material may be brought into contact with at least the first coating material; and, a first diffusion layer formed by coating the first coating material, and a second diffusion layer formed by coating the second coating material the second diffusion layer having a conductivity is lower than that of the first diffusion layer are simultaneously formed by a diffusion heat treatment; a solar cell manufactured by the method; and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for manufacturing a solar cell by forming a pn junction in a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type to manufacture a solar cell, including at least: applying a first coating material containing a dopant onto the semiconductor substrate having the first conductivity type; and performing vapor-phase diffusion heat treatment to form a first diffusion layer in a region applied with the first coating material and a second diffusion layer, which is formed next to the first diffusion layer through vapor-phase diffusion, with a conductivity lower than a conductivity of the first diffusion layer at the same time, and provides a solar cell.

Abstract: The present invention is a screen printing plate 1 in which at least an opening portion 2 that discharges a printing material for forming a target printing pattern 4 on a matter to be printed is provided in screen printing, and the screen printing plate is characterized in that the size of the opening portion 2 is reduced from the target printing pattern 4 and an opening end portion 3 of the opening portion 2 has a projection and recess pattern shape different from the target printing pattern shape. By this arrangement, bleeding of the printing material of the screen printing can be controlled and a high-quality and low-cost screen printing plate is provided which can print a target printing pattern accurately and with high transfer performance even for a fine design.

Abstract: An OECO solar cell using a semiconductor single crystal substrate having a plurality of grooves, wherein a minimum groove depth h of each groove always satisfies the relation of h?W1tan ? where ? represents an angle between a line connecting the lower end, along the thickness-wise direction of the semiconductor single crystal substrate, of an electrode formed in the groove and the upper end of the inner side face of the same groove having no electrode formed thereon, and a reference line normal to the thickness-wise direction, and W1 represents a distance between both opening edges of the groove; wherein the semiconductor single crystal substrate has thickness decreasing from a first side of a first main surface to a second side opposed to the first side; and wherein the plurality of grooves have a depth distribution of being deepest at a thickest position of the substrate, and a gradually becoming shallower towards a thinnest position of the substrate.

Abstract: A solar cell 1 has a number of grooves 2 formed in parallel with each other on a first main surface 24a of a silicon single crystal substrate. An electrode 6 is formed on the inner side face of each groove 2 on one side. Each groove 2 is formed in the direction in disagreement with the <110> direction on the first main surface 24a. This raises mechanical strength of the solar cell 1. The direction of formation of the grooves 2 preferably crosses the <110> direction nearest to the direction of formation at an angle of 4°˜45° on the acute angle side.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a solar cell forms a large number of grooves on a first main surface of a p-type silicon single crystal substrate sliced out from a silicon single crystal ingot as described below. First an edge portion of a groove-carving blade is projected out from a flat substrate feeding surface of a working table by a predetermined height. The p-type silicon single crystal substrate is moved along the substrate feeding surface towards the rotating groove-carving blade while keeping a close contact of the first main surface thereof with the substrate feeding surface. Electrodes are then formed on the inner side face of thus-carved grooves only on one side in the width-wise direction thereof.

Abstract: The present invention is an electrode material comprising at least, a silver powder, a glass frit, and an organic vehicle, wherein a rate of Ag content of the electrode material is 75 wt % to 95 wt %, and a ratio of contents of Ag grains having an average grain diameter of 0.5 ?m to 3 ?m and Ag grains having an average grain diameter of 4 ?m to 8 ?m in the electrode material is (the Ag grains having an average grain diameter of 0.5 ?m to 3 ?m):(the Ag grains having an average grain diameter of 4 ?m to 8 ?m)=20-80 wt %:80-20 wt %, and a solar cell comprising an electrode formed by using the electrode material. Thereby, an electrode material that can be stably filled in an electrode groove formed on a semiconductor device and that an electrode with narrow line width and small resistance loss can be easily formed by, and a solar cell with high power having an electrode formed by using the electrode material are provided.