Abstract: There is disclosed a crystalline silicon wafer (1) having irregularities formed at its surface. The irregularities include first irregularities (2) and second irregularities (3) smaller than the first irregularities (2). There are also disclosed a crystalline silicon wafer solar cell (11) using the crystalline silicon wafer (1), a method of manufacturing the crystalline silicon wafer (1), and a method of manufacturing the crystalline silicon wafer solar cell (11).

Abstract: A solar cell includes a dopant diffusion layer formed on the side of a light-receiving surface of a silicon wafer and a light-receiving surface passivation film formed on the dopant diffusion layer. The light-receiving surface passivation film has an opening portion. The solar cell further includes a light-receiving surface electrode formed on the opening portion of the light-receiving surface passivation film. The dopant diffusion layer has a first region covered with the light-receiving surface passivation film and a second region under the opening portion of the light-receiving surface passivation film, and there is a difference between a dopant concentration in the first region and a dopant concentration in the second region. Thus, a solar cell suitable for manufacturing a mass-produced commercial solar battery at low cost and high efficiency as well as a method of manufacturing the same can be provided.

Abstract: A patterning method includes the steps of irradiating an excimer laser beam to a material layer so as to form a pattern on the material layer; and transferring onto a substrate, the material layer formed with the pattern; and irradiating the excimer laser beam to the material layer transferred onto the substrate so as to form a further pattern on the material layer.

Abstract: A pattern forming method comprises at least a lower pattern forming step for printing a setting ink on a substrate, a setting step for setting the setting ink, an upper layer pattern forming step for forming a metalo-organic compound paste layer on the lower layer pattern by a printing method, and a firing step for firing at high temperature to remove the lower layer pattern. In the upper layer pattern forming step, the metalo-organic compound paste is printed so that the metalo-organic compound paste may be divided on the hardened setting ink so as to fill up gaps of the lower layer pattern. Otherwise the metalo-organic compound paste is printed on the hardened setting ink, and the metalo-organic compound paste is mechanically cut off, before the metalo-organic compound paste is dried, on the hardened setting ink, thereby forming an upper layer pattern. The setting ink comprises a thermo-setting resin, a setting agent, and an organic solvent, with an amount of nonvolatile materials of 50 to 70 wt.