Abstract: In a film formation chamber, a gas flow to be introduced is rectified in a direction away from the film formation surface of the substrate on which the film is to be formed, so as to exhaust the fine particles generated in the discharge space and the fragmental particles generated by exfoliation of the film from the wall of the vacuum chamber and the discharge electrode, thereby preventing the particles from adhering the film formation surface of the substrate. The fine particles and fragmental particles are sucked and exhausted from a plurality of apertures provided on the entire surface of the discharge electrode to establish a steady state in which the amount of a film deposited on the discharge electrode and the amount of an exfoliating film to be exhausted are equal to each other, thereby allowing continuous film formation without cleaning the discharge electrode over a long period.

Abstract: With a conventional cylindrical can method, a region used as a film formation ground electrode is a portion of the cylindrical can, and an apparatus becomes larger in size in proportion to the surface area of the electrode. A conveyor device and a film formation apparatus having the conveyor device are provided, which have a unit for continuously conveying a flexible substrate from one end to the other end, and which are characterized in that a plurality of cylindrical rollers are provided between the one end and the other end along an arc with a radius R, the cylindrical rollers being arranged such that their center axes run parallel to each other, and that a mechanism for conveying the flexible substrate while the substrate is in contact with each of the plurality of cylindrical rollers is provided.

Abstract: The invention is aimed to prevent that fall of characteristic of a solar battery and producing yield caused by particles of powder condition generating from working part at laser beam process in the method producing the solar battery by laser beam process. The constitution of the invention is characterized by comprising: a first step forming the lower electrode and the semiconductor layer on the insulating substrate by laminating; a second step forming a protective film on surface of the semiconductor; a third step forming an opening portion at the semiconductor layer, or the semiconductor layer and the lower electrode by laser beam process after the second step; and a fourth step removing the protective film.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device taking the form of a thin film and having a substrate exhibiting poor thermal resistance. The device prevents thermal deformation which would normally be caused by local application of excessive heat to the substrate. The device has output terminals permitting the output from the device to be taken out. The output terminals are formed on the surface of the substrate opposite to the photoelectric conversion device. The device further includes electrical connector portions for electrically connecting the electrodes of the device with the output terminals. The present invention also provides a method of treating a substrate having poor thermal resistance with a plasma with a high throughput. The substrate is continuously supplied into a reaction chamber and treated with a plasma. This supply operation is carried out in such a way that the total length of the substrate existing in a plasma processing region formed by electrodes is longer than the length of the electrodes.

Abstract: With a conventional cylindrical can method, a region used as a film formation ground electrode is a portion of the cylindrical can, and an apparatus becomes larger in size in proportion to the surface area of the electrode. A conveyor device and a film formation apparatus having the conveyor device are provided, which have a unit for continuously conveying a flexible substrate from one end to the other end, and which are characterized in that a plurality of cylindrical rollers are provided between the one end and the other end along an arc with a radius R, the cylindrical rollers being arranged such that their center axes run parallel to each other, and that a mechanism for conveying the flexible substrate while the substrate is in contact with each of the plurality of cylindrical rollers is provided.

Abstract: The invention is aimed to prevent that fall of characteristic of a solar battery and producing yield caused by particles of powder condition generating from working part at laser beam process in the method producing the solar battery by laser beam process. The constitution of the invention is characterized by comprising: a first step forming the lower electrode and the semiconductor layer on the insulating substrate by laminating; a second step forming a protective film on surface of the semiconductor; a third step forming an opening portion at the semiconductor layer, or the semiconductor layer and the lower electrode by laser beam process after the second step; and a fourth step removing the protective film.

Abstract: With a conventional cylindrical can method, a region used as a film formation ground electrode is a portion of the cylindrical can, and an apparatus becomes larger in size in proportion to the surface area of the electrode. A conveyor device and a film formation apparatus having the conveyor device are provided, which have a unit for continuously conveying a flexible substrate from one end to the other end, and which are characterized in that a plurality of cylindrical rollers are provided between the one end and the other end along an arc with a radius R, the cylindrical rollers being arranged such that their center axes run parallel to each other, and that a mechanism for conveying the flexible substrate while the substrate is in contact with each of the plurality of cylindrical rollers is provided.

Abstract: With a conventional cylindrical can method, a region used as a film formation ground electrode is a portion of the cylindrical can, and an apparatus becomes larger in size in proportion to the surface area of the electrode. A conveyor device and a film formation apparatus having the conveyor device are provided, which have a unit for continuously conveying a flexible substrate from one end to the other end, and which are characterized in that a plurality of cylindrical rollers are provided between the one end and the other end along an arc with a radius R, the cylindrical rollers being arranged such that their center axes run parallel to each other, and that a mechanism for conveying the flexible substrate while the substrate is in contact with each of the plurality of cylindrical rollers is provided.

Abstract: The invention is aimed to prevent that fall of characteristic of a solar battery and producing yield caused by particles of powder condition generating from working part at laser beam process in the method producing the solar battery by laser beam process. The constitution of the invention is characterized by comprising: a first step forming the lower electrode and the semiconductor layer on the insulating substrate by laminating; a second step forming a protective film on surface of the semiconductor; a third step forming an opening portion at the semiconductor layer, or the semiconductor layer and the lower electrode by laser beam process after the second step; and a fourth step removing the protective film.

Abstract: With a conventional cylindrical can method, a region used as a film formation ground electrode is a portion of the cylindrical can, and an apparatus becomes larger in size in proportion to the surface area of the electrode. A conveyor device and a film formation apparatus having the conveyor device are provided, which have a unit for continuously conveying a flexible substrate from one end to the other end, and which are characterized in that a plurality of cylindrical rollers are provided between the one end and the other end along an arc with a radius R, the cylindrical rollers being arranged such that their center axes run parallel to each other, and that a mechanism for conveying the flexible substrate while the substrate is in contact with each of the plurality of cylindrical rollers is provided.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device taking the form of a thin film and having a substrate exhibiting poor thermal resistance. The device prevents thermal deformation which would normally be caused by local application of excessive heat to the substrate. The device has output terminals permitting the output from the device to be taken out. The output terminals are formed on the surface of the substrate opposite to the photoelectric conversion device. The device further includes electrical connector portions for electrically connecting the electrodes of the device with the output terminals. The present invention also provides a method of treating a substrate having poor thermal resistance with a plasma with a high throughput. The substrate is continuously supplied into a reaction chamber and treated with a plasma. This supply operation is carried out in such a way that the total length of the substrate existing in a plasma processing region formed by electrodes is longer than the length of the electrodes.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device taking the form of a thin film and having a substrate exhibiting poor thermal resistance. The device prevents thermal deformation which would normally be caused by local application of excessive heat to the substrate. The device has output terminals permitting the output from the device to be taken out. The output terminals are formed on the surface of the substrate opposite to the photoelectric conversion device. The device further includes electrical connector portions for electrically connecting the electrodes of the device with the output terminals. The present invention also provides a method of treating a substrate having poor thermal resistance with a plasma with a high throughput. The substrate is continuously supplied into a reaction chamber and treated with a plasma. This supply operation is carried out in such a way that the total length of the substrate existing in a plasma processing region formed by electrodes is longer than the length of the electrodes.

Abstract: In the substrate treatment apparatus including substrate treatment chambers (301 and 303) and a buffer chamber (302) having an exhaust system (306b) independent of the substrate treatment chambers, connection tubes (304a and 304b) are provided between the substrate treatment chambers and the buffer chamber, and gas inlets are respectively provided for the connection tubes. A gas (308) for treating a substrate flows from the connection tube (304a) into the substrate treatment chamber (301) and the buffer chamber (302), while a gas (309) for treating a substrate flows from the connection tube (304b) into the substrate treatment chamber (303) and the buffer chamber (302). Accordingly, the gas does not move from the substrate treatment chamber to the buffer chamber against a gas flow, thereby allowing the separation between ambiences.

Abstract: The invention is aimed to prevent that fall of characteristic of a solar battery and producing yield caused by particles of powder condition generating from working part at laser beam process in the method producing the solar battery by laser beam process. The constitution of the invention is characterized by comprising: a first step forming the lower electrode and the semiconductor layer on the insulating substrate by laminating; a second step forming a protective film on surface of the semiconductor; a third step forming an opening portion at the semiconductor layer, or the semiconductor layer and the lower electrode by laser beam process after the second step; and a fourth step removing the protective film.

Abstract: In the substrate treatment apparatus including substrate treatment chambers (301 and 303) and a buffer chamber (302) having an exhaust system (306b) independent of the substrate treatment chambers, connection tubes (304a and 304b) are provided between the substrate treatment chambers and the buffer chamber, and gas inlets are respectively provided for the connection tubes. A gas (308) for treating a substrate flows from the connection tube (304a) into the substrate treatment chamber (301) and the buffer chamber (302), while a gas (309) for treating a substrate flows from the connection tube (304b) into the substrate treatment chamber (303) and the buffer chamber (302). Accordingly, the gas does not move from the substrate treatment chamber to the buffer chamber against a gas flow, thereby allowing the separation between ambiences.

Abstract: In a film formation chamber, a gas flow to be introduced is rectified in a direction away from the film formation surface of the substrate on which the film is to be formed, so as to exhaust the fine particles generated in the discharge space and the fragmental particles generated by exfoliation of the film from the wall of the vacuum chamber and the discharge electrode, thereby preventing the particles from adhering the film formation surface of the substrate. The fine particles and fragmental particles are sucked and exhausted from a plurality of apertures provided on the entire surface of the discharge electrode to establish a steady state in which the amount of a film deposited on the discharge electrode and the amount of an exfoliating film to be exhausted are equal to each other, thereby allowing continuous film formation without cleaning the discharge electrode over a long period.

Abstract: With a conventional cylindrical can method, a region used as a film formation ground electrode is a portion of the cylindrical can, and an apparatus becomes larger in size in proportion to the surface area of the electrode. A conveyor device and a film formation apparatus having the conveyor device are provided, which have a unit for continuously conveying a flexible substrate from one end to the other end, and which are characterized in that a plurality of cylindrical rollers are provided between the one end and the other end along an arc with a radius R, the cylindrical rollers being arranged such that their center axes run parallel to each other, and that a mechanism for conveying the flexible substrate while the substrate is in contact with each of the plurality of cylindrical rollers is provided.

Abstract: A method for treating an object with a laser including emitting a laser beam from a laser; expanding the laser beam in a first direction; removing a portion of the laser beam though a mask, the portion including at least edges of the expanded laser beam extending in the first direction; and condensing the laser beam in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in order to form a line-shaped laser beam on an object.

Abstract: A method for treating an object with a laser including emitting a laser beam from a laser; expanding the laser beam in a first direction; removing a portion of the laser beam though a mask, the portion including at least edges of the expanded laser beam extending in the first direction; and condensing the laser beam in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in order to form a line-shaped laser beam on an object.

Abstract: In producing a thin film solar battery using a semiconductor film producing apparatus, a semiconductor film is formed on a substrate by glow discharge decomposition. The substrate is transported in a desired direction within a glow discharge space. A substrate heating unit heats the substrate at different temperatures along the desired direction in which the substrate is transported. Consequently, a plurality of semiconductor layers having different hydrogen concentrations are laminated at desired thicknesses with desired characteristics. A glow discharge generating unit generates high frequency power having different frequencies and/or different power outputs along the desired direction in which the substrate is transported.