Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a compound semiconductor thin film by the thermal decomposition of a metal organic compound and a solar cell using the above thin film. An organic solvent solution of the metal organic compound containing at least one metal-sulfur bond is pulverized into fine particles by an ultrasonic vibration method or by a spray injection method and the obtained fine particles or gaseous metal organic compound are thermally decomposed by contacting them on the heated surface of a thin film forming substrate and thus a compound semiconductor metal sulfide thin film is formed on the thin film forming substrate. With this method, a compound semiconductor thin film of large surface area with uniform quality can be manufactured at low manufacturing cost with good reproducibility. These metal sulfide thin films are of high purity, high density and high quality and thus can be used for various photo-electronic devices.

Abstract: A semiconductor layer for photoelectric transfer device for forming a p-n junction, which has large surface area and uniform film pressure, is formed in the atmosphere under normal pressure for several minutes. The semiconductor layer for forming a p-n junction is composed of a compound semiconductor of a Group II element(selected from the group consisting of Cd, Zn and Hg)-Group VI element(selected from the group consisting of S and Te). A semiconductor layer having a p or n conductive type is formed on a substrate by pyrolytically decomposing an organometallic compound containing a II-VI group atom bond. A semiconductor film is formed on the surface of a substrate by dispersing or dissolving an organometallic compound in a solvent to form a solution, applying ink on the surface of the substrate using a suitable printing method and subjecting to a heat treatment.

Abstract: This invention relates to a manufacturing method of a compound semiconductor thin film derived from a metal sulfide produced by thermal decomposition of a sulfur-containing metal organic compound, the compound containing at least one functional group having at least one metal atom selected from the group consisting of copper, zinc, cadmium, mercury, and lead, and the functional group also containing at least one sulfur atom. Since the obtained metal sulfides are of high-purity and dense, they can be utilized in various photoelectric devices. Particularly, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of a CdS/CdTe system thin film compound semiconductor solar cell can be improved remarkably by employing a layer made of a CdS thin film as a window of the solar cell.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a solar cell, comprising the steps of forming a layer of n-type compound semiconductor, a layer of p-type compound semiconductor, and an electrode layer on a glass substrate, wherein at least one of said steps of forming a layer of compound semiconductor layer comprises preparing a paste by mixing a semiconductor raw material and a viscous agent, applying said paste to said substrate, drying said paste to harden it, and firing the dried paste, and vibrating said substrate during or after the application of the paste, to remove the bubbles in the paste, resulting in a semiconductor layer which is smooth, dense, and having good adhesion, thus realizing a solar cell with improved and uniform characteristics.

Abstract: A polycrystalline CuInSe.sub.2 film is produced by adding a liquid cooling medium to a mixture of Cu, In and Se powders, grinding the resulting composition by means of a ball-mill to provide a slurry containing CuInSe.sub.2 of low crystallinity, drying and adding a binding agent to the slurry to form a paste, coating a substrate with the paste, and sintering the paste so applied under a nitrogen atmosphere.The starting materials that can be used are not limited to respective powders of the above-mentioned elements but may be Cu-Se and In-Se compounds and the method provides CuInSe.sub.2 of excellent quality on a mass production scale at low cost.