Abstract: According to a solar cell module 100 of the present invention, a wiring member (first wiring member 11, second wiring member 12m or fourth wiring member 14) includes contact portions 11a, 12a, and 14a which contacts with the main surface of the solar cell 10, and noncontact portions 11b, 12b, and 14b continuous with the contact-portions 11a, 12a, and 14a and extending outward from the main surface of the solar cell 10. The noncontact portion is arranged to leave a space from a boundary portion ? between the main surface of the solar cell 10 and the side surface of the solar call 10.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar cell module according to the present invention includes a step of forming a protective layer formed of a transparent material on one main surface of one solar cell, and a region in which the one main surface is exposed remains on an outside of the circumference of the protective layer formed on the one main surface.

Abstract: According to a solar cell manufacturing method of an embodiment, in a process of forming a surface protection layer by transferring a resin material applied to a cylindrical surface of a cylindrical blanket, to a light receiving surface of a solar cell substrate, the blanket is rotated on the light receiving surface of the solar cell substrate in a first direction in which the multiple thin wire electrodes extend.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, the method for manufacturing the solar cell includes: forming a dividing groove 8a that reaches a n-type single crystal silicon substrate 1 in a thickness direction of a photoelectric conversion part 10; and fracturing the photoelectric conversion part 10 along the dividing groove 8a, wherein the dividing groove 8a is formed continuously in an inside of an outer circumference portion of the photoelectric conversion part 10.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, the dividing grooves 8 are formed so as not to be parallel to cleavage planes of the semiconductor substrate 1, and the semiconductor substrate 1 is bent along the dividing grooves 8, whereby the semiconductor substrate 1 is fractured along the dividing grooves 8.

Abstract: An electrode for lithium batteries, in which a thin film of active material capable of storage and release of lithium, such as a microcrystalline or amorphous silicon thin film, is provided, through an interlayer, on a current collector, the electrode being characterized in that the interlayer comprises a material alloyable with the thin film of active material.

Abstract: An electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery characterized in that thin films of active material capable of lithium storage and release, i.e., microcrystalline or amorphous silicone thin films are deposited on opposite faces of a plate-form current collector.

Abstract: An electrode for a lithium battery having a thin film composed of active material capable of lithium storage and release, e.g., a microcrystalline or amorphous silicon thin film, provided on a current collector, the electrode being characterized in that the current collector has a surface roughness Ra of 0.01 ?m or greater.

Abstract: In an electrode for a lithium battery having a lithium storing and releasing active thin film provided on a current collector, such as a microcrystalline or amorphous silicon thin film, the electrode is characterized in that the thin film is divided into columns by gaps formed therein in a manner to extend in its thickness direction and that the columnar portions are at their bottoms adhered to the current collector.

Abstract: An electrode for a rechargeable lithium battery which includes a thin film composed of active material that expands and shrinks as it stores and releases lithium, e.g., a microcrystalline or amorphous silicon thin film, deposited on a current collector, characterized in that said current collector exhibits a tensile strength (=tensile strength (N/mm2) per sectional area of the current collector material×thickness (mm) of the current collector) of not less than 3.82 N/mm.

Abstract: A stacked photovoltaic device which includes a first photovoltaic unit having an amorphous silicon layer 8 as a photoelectric conversion layer, and a second photovoltaic unit having a microcrystalline silicon layer 5 as a photo-electric conversion layer and succeeding backwardly from the first photovoltaic unit closer to a light incidence plane. The microcrystalline silicon layer 5 serving as the photoelectric conversion layer in the second photovoltaic unit has a ratio ?2(=I(Si—O)/I(Si—H)) greater than a ratio ?1(=I(Si—O)/I(Si—H)) of the amorphous silicon layer 8 serving as the photoelectric conversion layer in the first photovoltaic unit, where I(Si—O) is a peak area for the Si—O stretching mode of each silicon layer and I(Si—H) is a peak area for the Si—H stretching mode of each silicon layer when the amorphous and microcrystalline silicon layers 8 and 5 are measured by infrared absorption spectroscopy.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides a stacked photovoltaic device that comprises a first power generating unit including a first semiconductor layer made of a substantially intrinsic non-single crystal semiconductor layer which functions as a photoelectric conversion layer; and a second power generating unit formed above the first power generating unit, the second power generating unit including a second semiconductor layer made of a substantially intrinsic non-crystalline semiconductor layer which functions as a photoelectric conversion layer. In the stacked photovoltaic device, a first density of an element mainly constituting the first semiconductor layer of the first power generating unit is lower than a second density of an element mainly constituting the second semiconductor layer of the second power generating unit.

Abstract: A stacked photovoltaic apparatus capable of improving the output characteristics is provided. This stacked photovoltaic apparatus comprises a second power generation unit including a second semiconductor layer having a first refractive index and a third semiconductor layer of an amorphous semiconductor functioning as a photoelectric conversion layer, an intermediate layer formed between a first power generation unit and the second power generation unit with a second refractive index and a reflection promotive layer formed between the intermediate layer and the second power generation unit with such a third refractive index that the difference between the third refractive index and the first refractive index is larger than the difference between the second refractive index and the first refractive index.

Abstract: A back metal electrode, a bottom cell using microcrystalline silicon for a photoelectric conversion layer, a front cell using amorphous silicon for a photoelectric conversion layer, and a transparent front electrode are formed in this order on a supporting substrate. At least one of the concentration of impurities contained in the front photoelectric conversion layer and the concentration of impurities contained in the bottom photoelectric conversion layer is controlled such that the concentration of impurities in the bottom photoelectric conversion layer is higher than the concentration of impurities in the front photoelectric conversion layer. Impurities do not include a p-type dopant or an n-type dopant but are any one, two, or all of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides a photovoltaic device having a first semiconductor layer of a first conduction type and a third semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type. At least one of the first and third semiconductor layers includes an amorphous semiconductor layer. The amorphous semiconductor layer has a larger band gap than a non-monocrystal semiconductor layer having crystallinity. Accordingly, it is possible to increase a built-in electric field that is a potential difference between the Fermi level of the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type and the Fermi level of the third semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device capable of improving an open-circuit voltage is obtained. In this photoelectric conversion device, many of crystal grains contained in a third non-single-crystalline semiconductor layer have major axes substantially perpendicular to a main surface of a substrate on an interfacial portion between at least either a first non-single-crystalline semiconductor layer or a second non-single-crystalline semiconductor layer and the third non-single-crystalline semiconductor layer, and many of crystal grains contained in either semiconductor layer have major axes substantially parallel to the main surface of the substrate on the aforementioned interfacial portion.

Abstract: A method for preparing an electrode material for a lithium battery, characterized in that a noncrystalline silicon thin film that serves as an active material is deposited on a substrate.

Abstract: A photovoltaic apparatus capable of improving output characteristics is provided. This photovoltaic apparatus includes at least one power generation unit having a first conductivity type first non-single-crystalline semiconductor layer including at least one layer, a substantially intrinsic second non-single-crystalline semiconductor layer including at least one layer and a second conductivity type third non-single-crystalline semiconductor layer including at least one layer, and at least one of the layer constituting the first non-single-crystalline semiconductor layer, the layer constituting the second non-single-crystalline semiconductor layer and the layer constituting the third non-single crystalline semiconductor layer has a preferred crystal orientation plane different from those of the remaining layers.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device capable of improving an open-circuit voltage is obtained. In this photoelectric conversion device, many of crystal grains contained in a third non-single-crystalline semiconductor layer have major axes substantially perpendicular to a main surface of a substrate on an interfacial portion between at least either a first non-single-crystalline semiconductor layer or a second non-single-crystalline semiconductor layer and the third non-single-crystalline semiconductor layer, and many of crystal grains contained in either semiconductor layer have major axes substantially parallel to the main surface of the substrate on the aforementioned interfacial portion.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte rechargeable battery using molybdenum oxide in the form of thin film deposited on an aluminum-containing substrate, as a positive electrode material.