Abstract: For the purpose of being capable of performing direct inter-handset communications while maintaining inter-handset communications via a base unit, smoothly making a transition from inter-handset communications via a base unit to direct inter-handset communications, and switching to inter-handset communications via a base unit without releasing the communications even in case direct inter-handset communications cannot be established, a local handset includes a direct inter-handset communications controller and a direct inter-handset communications transition controller for making control to establish direct inter-handset communications while maintaining communications with a base unit as well as transmitting control channels for direct inter-handset communications in vacant slots in the receiving time zones for communications with the base unit, while a distant handset includes a direct inter-handset communications controller and a direct inter-handset communications transition controller for scanning control

Abstract: The separation method of a semiconductor layer according to the present invention comprises separating a semiconductor layer and a semiconductor substrate at a separation layer formed therebetween, wherein a face of the semiconductor layer at the side opposite to the separation layer and/or a face of the semiconductor substrate at the side opposite to the separation layer are held by utilizing an ice layer, whereby it is unnecessary to use an adhesive as holding means and at the same time it is possible to easily and uniformly separate them.

Abstract: A liquid-phase growth process comprising immersing a base substrate in a solution containing reactant species to be grown dissolved therein which is accommodated in a crucible and growing a crystal film on said substrate, characterized in that a capping member is kept afloat on the surface of said solution before said substrate is immersed in said solution and said capping member is subsided in said solution upon immersing said substrate in said solution. A liquid-phase growth apparatus suitable for practicing said liquid-phase growth process.

Abstract: A liquid-phase growth method for immersing a polycrystalline substrate in a melt in a crucible wherein crystal ingredients are dissolved, thereby growing poly crystals upon the substrate, comprises a first step for growing poly crystals to a predetermined thickness, and a second step for melting back a part of the poly crystals grown in the first step in the melt, wherein the relative position between the substrate and melt is changed between the first step and second step, bringing melt with different temperature into contact with the polycrystalline surface. The obtained poly crystals have properties rivaling those of poly crystals used in conventional solar cells but with little risk of trouble such as line breakage of grid electrodes in application to solar cells, and can be obtained in great quantities at low costs.

Abstract: A liquid-phase growth apparatus for growing a crystal on a substrate includes a crucible containing a solution that contains a raw material for forming the crystal, and a substrate holder for vertically holding the substrate. The substrate holder includes connectors, a receiving component, and a push component. The receiving component and the push component are opposite to each other and are connected by the connectors. The push component holds an upper portion of the substrate while the receiving component holds a lower portion of the substrate. The substrate holder containing the vertically held substrate is dipped into the solution. The receiving component ascends with buoyancy in the solution contained in the crucible, so that the substrate is now held securely and prevented from cracking due to thermal expansion.

Abstract: A process for producing a single crystal silicon wafer, comprising the steps of forming a porous layer on a single crystal silicon substrate comprising a silicon whose concentration of mass number 28 silicon isotope is less than 92.5% on an average; dissolving a starting silicon whose concentration of mass number 28 silicone isotope whose mass number is more than 98% on an average in a melt for liquid-phase epitaxy until said starting silicon becomes to be a supersaturated state in said melt under reductive atmosphere maintained at high temperature: immersing said single crystal silicon substrate in said melt to grow a single crystal silicon layer on the surface of said porous layer of said single crystal silicon substrate; and peeling said single crystal silicon layer from a portion of said porous layer.

Abstract: To cause a crack at a fixed position in a separation layer, a method of separating a composite member includes the steps of forming a separation layer inside a composite member, forming inside the separation layer a stress riser layer in which an in-plane stress has concentratedly been produced to an extent that does not cause separation by the in-plane stress, and enlarging the in-plane stress to cause a crack in the stress riser layer, thereby separating the composite member.

Abstract: A method for transferring a porous layer includes forming a porous layer on one side of a crystalline silicon member by anodization, fixing a supporting substrate onto the surface of the porous layer, and applying force to any one of the supporting substrate and the porous layer, whereby at least part of the porous layer is cleaved from the crystalline silicon member and is transferred onto the supporting substrate. The crystalline silicon member can be recycled and this method is suitable for mass production of semiconductor devices or solar batteries at low cost.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a semiconductor substrate which comprises the steps of growing a first semiconductor layer on a substrate in liquid phase at a properly controlled temperature for eliminating defects and growing a second semiconductor layer on the first semiconductor layer in liquid phase at a higher temperature; a solar cell produced by a method comprising a step of anodizing the surface of the first and second layer side of the semiconductor substrate produced by the liquid-phase growth method; a liquid-phase growth apparatus comprising means for storing a melt, means for changing the temperature of the stored melt, and means for bringing an oxygen-containing substrate into contact with the melt, wherein a substrate is brought into contact with the melt at a temperature so as to suppress the stacking faults contained in the semiconductor layer grown on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A liquid phase growth method is provided which comprises dipping a seed substrate in a solution in a vessel having a crystal raw material melted therein and growing a crystal on the substrate, wherein a fin is provided on a bottom of the vessel, for regulating a flow of the solution from a central portion outside in a radial direction in the vessel; a flow-regulating plate is provided in the vicinity of an inner sidewall of the vessel, for regulating a flow of the solution from the bottom upwardly; and the vessel is rotated while regulating a flow of the solution by an action of the fin and the flow-regulating plate to bring the solution into contact with the seed substrate. Thus, there is provided a liquid phase growth method and apparatus capable of providing a high growth rate and showing little difference in the growth rate among the substrates or within the same substrate even when a number of substrates are charged in one batch.

Abstract: A crystalline silicon layer is epitaxially grown on a substrate having a porous silicon layer on the surface. In making epitaxial growth by liquid-phase epitaxy, a silicon material is previously dissolved in a melt at a high temperature and then the silicon substrate to be subjected to epitaxy is immersed in the melt. Then, its temperature is gradually lowered, whereby the silicon precipitated from the melt is epitaxially grown on the silicon substrate. In this epitaxy, a substrate having the principal plane of (111)-plane is used as the silicon substrate.

Abstract: A process for producing a semiconductor device module comprises the steps of forming a first substrate having a separation layer having thereon a plurality of independent semiconductor layers and semiconductor devices individually formed on the plurality of semiconductor layers, electrically connecting the semiconductor devices one another on the first substrate, and separating the plurality of semiconductor layers from the first substrate at the separation layer to transfer the semiconductor layers to a second substrate.

Abstract: The peeling of a thin-film single-crystal from a substrate is carried out so that the directions of straight lines on the single-crystal surface made by planes on which the single-crystal is apt to cleave are different from the front line direction of the peeled single-crystal. This single-crystal is used in a solar cell and a drive circuit member of an image display element. A method is provided which prevents a decrease in quality and yield of a single crystal layer when it is peeled from a substrate. A flexible solar cell module having a thin film single-crystal layer is made so that its flexing direction is different from the single-crystal's cleaving direction. Thus, a thin-film single-crystal solar cell module having excellent durability and reliability due to a lack of defect or cracking during production and use, and a method for producing the same, is provided.

Abstract: Provided are a liquid phase growth method of silicon crystal comprising a step of injecting a source gas containing at least silicon atoms into a solvent to decompose the source gas and, simultaneously therewith, dissolving the silicon atoms into the solvent, thereby supplying the silicon atoms into the solvent, and a step of dipping or contacting a substrate into or with the solvent, thereby growing a silicon crystal on the substrate; and a method of producing a solar cell utilizing the aforementioned method. Also provided is a liquid phase growth apparatus of a silicon crystal comprising means for holding a solvent in which silicon atoms are dissolved, and means for dipping or contacting a substrate into or with the solvent, the apparatus further comprising means for injecting a source gas containing at least silicon atoms into the solvent.

Abstract: Provided are a liquid phase growth method including a step of immersing a substrate in a crucible storing a solvent having a growth material dissolved therein; and a step of cooling the solvent from an interior thereof, and a liquid phase growth apparatus for use in the method, by which a temperature difference of a solution is decreased and by which a deposited film is formed in a uniform thickness.

Abstract: A crystalline silicon layer is epitaxially grown on a substrate having a porous silicon layer on the surface. In making epitaxial growth by liquid-phase epitaxy, a silicon material is previously dissolved in a melt at a high temperature and then the silicon substrate to be subjected to epitaxy is immersed in the melt. Then, its temperature is gradually lowered, whereby the silicon precipitated from the melt is epitaxially grown on the silicon substrate. In this epitaxy, a substrate having the principal plane of (111)-plane is used as the silicon substrate.

Abstract: A method of growing single crystal silicon in a liquid phase comprises preparing a melt by dissolving a solid of silicon containing boron, aluminum, phosphorus or arsenic at a predetermined concentration into indium melted in a carbon boat or a quartz crucible, supersaturating the melt, and submerging a substrate into the melt, thereby growing a silicon crystal containing a dopant element. This method can provide a method of growing a thin film of crystalline silicon having a high crystallinity and a dopant concentration favorably controlled, thereby serving for mass production of inexpensive solar cells which have high performance as well as image displays which have high contrast and are free from color ununiformity.

Abstract: In a liquid phase growth process comprising immersing a substrate in a melt held in a crucible, a crystal material having been dissolved in the melt, and growing a crystal on the substrate, at least a group of substrates to be immersed in the melt held in the crucible are fitted to the supporting rack at a position set aside from the center of rotation of the crucible or supporting rack, and the crystal is grown on the surface of the substrate thus disposed. This can provide a liquid phase growth process which can attain a high growth rate, can enjoy uniform distribution of growth rate in each substrate and between the substrates even when substrates are set in a large number in one batch, and can readily keep the melt from reaction and contamination even when the system has a large size, and provide a liquid phase growth system suited for carrying out the process.

Abstract: Provided are a liquid phase growth method of silicon crystal comprising a step of injecting a source gas containing at least silicon atoms into a solvent to decompose the source gas and, simultaneously therewith, dissolving the silicon atoms into the solvent, thereby supplying the silicon atoms into the solvent, and a step of dipping or contacting a substrate into or with the solvent, thereby growing a silicon crystal on the substrate; and a method of producing a solar cell utilizing the aforementioned method. Also provided is a liquid phase growth apparatus of a silicon crystal comprising means for holding a solvent in which silicon atoms are dissolved, and means for dipping or contacting a substrate into or with the solvent, the apparatus further comprising means for injecting a source gas containing at least silicon atoms into the solvent.

Abstract: A solar cell module comprises a plurality of unit cells connected in series, each of the unit cells comprising in this order an electrode, a first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type. The electrode has a region not covered with the first semiconductor layer. The second semiconductor layer has a main region and a subregion which are separated by a groove. The main region of the second semiconductor layer in one unit cell is electrically connected to the region of the electrode not covered with the first semiconductor layer in another unit cell adjacent to the one unit cell. The region of the electrode not covered with the first semiconductor layer in the one unit cell is electrically connected to the subregion of the second semiconductor layer in the another unit cell. With this structure it is possible to simplify the formation of a bypass diode invention therefore provide solar cell module with high reliability at a low cost.