Abstract: A thin-film solar cell manufacturing apparatus includes a film forming chamber that is evacuated to a reduced pressure and forms a film on a substrate using a CVD method; a loading-ejecting chamber that is connected to the film forming chamber via a first opening-closing part and that is switchable between atmospheric pressure and reduced pressure; a first carrier that holds a pre-processed substrate; and a second carrier that holds a post-processed substrate, wherein the loading-ejecting chamber simultaneously stores the first carrier and the second carrier.

Abstract: A thin-film solar cell manufacturing apparatus includes a film forming chamber which stores a substrate; and an electrode unit which performs film formation using a CVD method on the substrate in the film forming chamber. The electrode unit has an anode and a cathode; and a side wall portion which holds the anode and the cathode and forms a part of a wall portion of the film forming chamber, and is attachable to and detachable from the film forming chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a thin film solar cell of the present invention has a film forming chamber in which a substrate is arranged so that the film formation face of the substrate is substantially parallel to the direction of gravitational force and a film is formed on the film formation face by a CVD method; an electrode unit including a cathode unit having cathodes to which voltages are to be applied arranged on both sides thereof, and a pair of anodes each of which is arranged to face the cathodes, respectively, at a separation distance therefrom; and a conveying part which supports the substrate and conveys the substrate to between the cathode and the anode facing the cathode. The separation distance is variable.

Abstract: A thin-film solar cell manufacturing apparatus includes a film forming chamber that is evacuated to a reduced pressure and forms a film on a substrate using a CVD method; a loading-ejecting chamber that is connected to the film forming chamber via a first opening-closing part and that is switchable between atmospheric pressure and reduced pressure; transfer rail that is laid at the film forming chamber and the loading-ejecting chamber; a carrier that holds the substrate and moves along the transfer rail; and a carrier transfer mechanism that transfers the carrier, wherein, the carrier transfer mechanism is provided in the loading-ejecting chamber to transfer the carrier between the film forming chamber and the loading-ejecting chamber.

Abstract: A film formation apparatus includes: a film forming chamber in which a desired film is formed on a substrate in a vacuum; a loading-ejecting chamber fixed to the film forming chamber with a first opening-closing section interposed therebetween, being capable of reducing a pressure inside the loading-ejecting chamber so as to form a vacuum atmosphere; a second opening-closing section provided at a face opposite to the face of the loading-ejecting chamber on which the first opening-closing section is provided; and a carrier holding the substrate so that a film formation face of the substrate is substantially parallel to a direction of gravitational force, wherein the carrier or the substrate passes through the second opening-closing section, and is transported to the loading-ejecting chamber and is transported from the loading-ejecting chamber; a plurality of carriers is disposed in the loading-ejecting chamber in parallel to each other; the plurality of carriers is transported in parallel between the loading-e

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a thin film solar cell of the present invention includes a film forming chamber in which a film is formed on a film formation face of a substrate using a CVD method; an electrode unit including a cathode unit having cathodes to which voltages are to be applied arranged on both sides thereof, and a pair of anodes each of which is arranged to face a different one of the cathodes, at a separation distance therefrom; a mask for covering a peripheral edge portion of the substrate; and a discharge duct installed around the cathode unit. A film formation space is formed between the cathode unit and the substrate installed on the side of the anode, an evacuation passage is formed between the mask and the cathode unit, the discharge duct and the film formation space are connected together via the evacuation passage, and a film forming gas introduced into the film formation space is evacuated from the discharge duct through the evacuation passage.