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 module 60 has a plurality of solar cells 14 having a plurality of parallel grooves 8 on the individual light-receiving surfaces thereof, each of the grooves having an electrode 5 for extracting output on the inner side face (electrode-forming inner side face) on one side in the width-wise direction thereof; and a support 10, 50 for supporting the solar cells 14 in an integrated manner so as to direct the light-receiving surfaces upward. The annual power output can be increased by adjusting the direction of arrangement of the electrode-forming inner side faces of the grooves 8 while taking the angle of inclination ? of the light-receiving surface of the individual as-installed solar cells 14 relative to the horizontal plane and the latitude ? of the installation site of the solar cell module into consideration.

Abstract: First cells 10, obtained by cutting each of disk-formed solar battery cells at cutting positions set in parallel on the main surface thereof symmetrically with respect to the center line which halves the main surface, are arranged in parallel and staggered manner to thereby fabricate a solar battery module 100. Also two segments of by-produced second cells 20R and 20L are paired so as to oppose both cut edges, and a plurality of thus-obtained pairs are arranged to thereby produce a solar battery module 101. This makes it possible to reduce loss of disk-formed wafers, and to raise the module-packing ratio higher than that in the case where the disk-formed cells are arranged in an intact form. This is successful in providing solar battery modules and a method of fabricating the same capable of raising the module-packing ratio while reducing the loss of single crystal wafer to be used.

Abstract: A solar cell according to a first aspect of the invention is an OECO solar cell using a silicon single crystal substrate, wherein a minimum depth h of each groove always satisfies the relation of h≧W1tan &thgr;, where &thgr; represents an angle between a line which connects the lower end, along the thickness-wise direction of the semiconductor single crystal substrate, of the electrode formed in one groove having the largest depth among all grooves as viewed along an arbitrary section normal to the longitudinal direction of the individual grooves, 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.

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 solar cell module 60 has a plurality of solar cells 14 having a plurality of parallel grooves 8 on the individual light-receiving surfaces thereof, each of the grooves having an electrode 5 for extracting output on the inner side face (electrode-forming inner side face) on one side in the width-wise direction thereof; and a support 10, 50 for supporting the solar cells 14 in an integrated manner so as to direct the light-receiving surfaces upward. The annual power output can be increased by adjusting the direction of arrangement of the electrode-forming inner side faces of the grooves 8 while taking the angle of inclination &bgr; of the light-receiving surface of the individual as-installed solar cells 14 relative to the horizontal plane and the latitude &dgr; of the installation site of the solar cell module into consideration.

Abstract: A plurality of nearly-parallel grooves 2 are formed on a first main surface 24a of a semiconductor single crystal substrate 24, and a metal electrode 6 for extracting cell is formed on the inner side face of each groove 2, which is used as an electrode-forming area, on one side as viewed in the width-wise direction of the groove. After a metal-containing underlying layer 49 is formed on the electrode-forming area, a main electrode metal layer 50 containing at least any one of an electroless-plated layer, electroplated layer and hot-dipped layer is formed on the metal-containing underlying layer 49.

Abstract: A fundus camera includes a main unit equipped with an illuminating optical system for illuminating the fundus of an eye to be inspected and a photographing optical system for photographing the fundus, an observation optical system for determining whether or not the distance between the main unit and the eye is equal to a proper working distance, an alignment index projecting system, and a driving mechanism for moving a light guide along an optical axis to change a working distance in the case of photographing the central part of the fundus and in the case of photographing a peripheral part of the fundus.

Abstract: To form an impurity diffusion layer on only one side of a semiconductor substrate at least one semiconductor substrate and at least one diffusion protecting plate are put close to each other and a first impurity diffusion is perfomed on them, or at least one semiconductor substrate and at least one diffusion protecting plate are put close to each other and a first impurity diffusion is performed on them and then the semiconductor substrate and the diffusion protecting plate are arranged such that those sides on which the impurity diffusion has been performed face each other and a second impurity diffusion is performed. The diffusion protecting plate may be replaced by a semiconductor substrate. The first and second impurity diffusions may be performed using an impurity of the same conductivity type.

Abstract: A fundus camera includes a main unit equipped with an illuminating optical system for illuminating the fundus of an eye to be inspected and a photographing optical system for photographing the fundus, an observation optical system for determining whether or not the distance between the main unit and the eye is equal to a proper working distance, an alignment index projecting system, and a driving mechanism for moving a light guide along an optical axis to change a working distance in the case of photographing the central part of the fundus and in the case of photographing a peripheral part of the fundus.

Abstract: A fixing unit prevents surface temperature of a fixing roller from becoming too high or too low and of always attains good fixing performance by employing an external heating method that makes an external heating member abut the surface of the fixing roller to heat the surface of the fixing roller. The fixing unit has the fixing roller having a heating source therein, a pressurizing member which press-contacts the fixing roller, the external heating member which heats the surface of the fixing roller from the outside, an abutting-separating device that makes the external heating member abut or separate from the surface of the fixing roller; and a control unit which controls timing for making the external heating member abut the surface of the fixing roller according to at least one of the surface temperature of the external heating member and/or fixing roller, the type of the transfer medium which undergoes the fixing process and an image forming mode for the transfer medium.

Abstract: A fundus camera includes a main unit equipped with an illuminating optical system for illuminating the fundus of an eye to be inspected and a photographing optical system for photographing the fundus, an observation optical system for determining whether or not the distance between the main unit and the eye is equal to a proper working distance, an alignment index projecting system, and a driving mechanism for moving a light guide along an optical axis to change a working distance in the case of photographing the central part of the fundus and in the case of photographing a peripheral part of the fundus.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell produced by adhering a material for masking layer to a surface of a semiconductor substrate in pattern state to form the masking layer, and forming a dopant layer on the portion having no masking layer by gas phase diffusion or solid phase diffusion is high in photoelectric conversion efficiency and is effective for preventing lowering of minority carrier lifetime of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A light concentrator photovoltaic module includes a medium having a light receiving plane, a plurality of photovoltaic elements arranged in a spaced relationship with the light receiving plane, and a light reflecting plane for conducting light incident upon the light receiving plane but is not directly received by the photovoltaic elements to the photovoltaic elements.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photovoltaic module including a plurality of concentrators each having a light-incident plane and a reflection plane, and photo detectors. Each photo detector is in contact with one of the concentrators. The module is capable of effectively trapping light and effectively generating power throughout the year even if the module is established such that sunlight at the equinoxes is made incident on the light-incident planes not in a perpendicular manner but instead obliquely, for example, in the case where the module is established in contact with a curved plane of a roof, or the like.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photovoltaic module including a plurality of concentrators each having a light-incident plane and a reflection plane, and photo detectors each being in contact with one of the concentrators, which is capable of effectively trapping light and effectively generating power throughout the year even if the module is established such that sunlight at the equinoxes is made incident on the light-incident planes not perpendicularly but obliquely from the right, upper side, for example, in the case where the module is established in contact with a curved plane of a roof or the like.

Abstract: A photographic instrument for ophthalmology permits easily recognizing which portion of an eye E to be examined a position of a photographed portion of the eye E corresponds to. The instrument comprises a display means 8 for displaying a portion to be photographed as a part of the entire eye E as an alignment image when the eye E is photographed and for displaying a recognition pattern for recognizing the position of the portion to be photographed.

Abstract: A motor controlling device for controlling the rotational speed of an AC motor (3) connected with an AC power supply (1) through a speed control thyrister (2) includes a negative charging circuit (5) for charging a negative half cycle voltage of the AC power supply (1) in a negative direction for each cycle to trigger the thyrister (2) in a positive half cycle period of the AC power supply (1), and a positive charging circuit (6) for charging a positive half cycle voltage of the AC power supply (1) in a positive direction from the end of the negative half cycle by the negative charging circuit (5) for each cycle to trigger the thyrister (2) when the charged voltage reaches a trigger voltage of the thyrister (2).