Abstract: A gas generating device for generating an oxygen gas and/or a hydrogen gas from an electrolytic solution containing water, including an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, a plurality of through holes and a gas containing unit. The anode electrode (photocatalyst supporting electrode) has a photocatalyst-containing layer containing a photocatalyst producing an oxygen gas from the electrolytic solution by a photocatalytic reaction. The cathode electrode produces a hydrogen gas from electrons and hydrogen ions that are generated in the electrolytic solution by the photocatalytic reaction at the photocatalyst-containing layer. The through holes are formed on at least one of the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, and the through holes allow the produced oxygen gas or hydrogen gas to pass therethrough, but do not allow the electrolytic solution to pass therethrough. The gas containing unit holds the oxygen gas or hydrogen gas that has passed through the through holes.

Abstract: An electrolyzer is comprised of an anode and a cathode which are in contact with an electrolytic solution, wherein at least one of the anode and the cathode is composed of an electric conductor having a gas permeable structure comprising a gas generating surface at which gas is generated by electrolysis of the electrolytic solution, a plurality of through holes leading from the gas generating surface to a different surface and allowing the gas generated on the gas generating surface to selectively pass therethrough, and a gas releasing surface which is the different surface for releasing the gas supplied from the gas generating surface via the through holes. At least one of a surface treatment which causes the gas generating surface to be lyophilic for the electrolytic solution and a surface treatment which causes the gas releasing surface to be lyophobic for the electrolytic solution is performed.

Abstract: A gas generating device of present invention is generated a first gas at a first carbon electrode by applying a voltage between said first carbon electrode and a second electrode to electrolyzing an electrolytic solution. The first carbon electrode is an anode or a cathode. The first carbon electrode is provided with a plurality of fine gas flow channels which selectively pass said first gas generated on one surface of said first carbon electrode to the other surface without allowing said electrolytic solution to permeate therethrough.

Abstract: A microchip device of the present invention includes: a microchip in which a liquid flow path is formed for liquid to flow; a gas flow path provided along the liquid flow path; and a plurality of gap sections formed between the liquid flow path and the gas flow path and having one opening thereof facing the liquid flow path and the other opening thereof facing the gas flow path, the gap of the gap section being made so as to be gap through which gas can pass but the liquid cannot pass, and a gas liquid interface being formed at the gap section.

Abstract: A gas generating device for generating an oxygen gas and/or a hydrogen gas from an electrolytic solution containing water, including an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, a plurality of through holes and a gas containing unit. The anode electrode (photocatalyst supporting electrode) has a photocatalyst-containing layer containing a photocatalyst producing an oxygen gas from the electrolytic solution by a photocatalytic reaction. The cathode electrode produces a hydrogen gas from electrons and hydrogen ions that are generated in the electrolytic solution by the photocatalytic reaction at the photocatalyst-containing layer. The through holes are formed on at least one of the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, and the through holes allow the produced oxygen gas or hydrogen gas to pass therethrough, but do not allow the electrolytic solution to pass therethrough. The gas containing unit holds the oxygen gas or hydrogen gas that has passed through the through holes.

Abstract: An electrolyzer is comprised of an anode and a cathode which are in contact with an electrolytic solution, wherein at least one of the anode and the cathode is composed of an electric conductor having a gas permeable structure comprising a gas generating surface at which gas is generated by electrolysis of the electrolytic solution, a plurality of through holes leading from the gas generating surface to a different surface and allowing the gas generated on the gas generating surface to selectively pass therethrough, and a gas releasing surface which is the different surface for releasing the gas supplied from the gas generating surface via the through holes. At least one of a surface treatment which causes the gas generating surface to be lyophilic for the electrolytic solution and a surface treatment which causes the gas releasing surface to be lyophobic for the electrolytic solution is performed.

Abstract: A gas generating device of present invention is generated a first gas at a first carbon electrode by applying a voltage between said first carbon electrode and a second electrode to electrolyzing an electrolytic solution. The first carbon electrode is an anode or a cathode. The first carbon electrode is provided with a plurality of fine gas flow channels which selectively pass said first gas generated on one surface of said first carbon electrode to the other surface without allowing said electrolytic solution to permeate therethrough.

Abstract: A microchip device of the present invention includes: a microchip in which a liquid flow path is formed for liquid to flow; a gas flow path provided along the liquid flow path; and a plurality of gap sections formed between the liquid flow path and the gas flow path and having one opening thereof facing the liquid flow path and the other opening thereof facing the gas flow path, the gap of the gap section being made so as to be gap through which gas can pass but the liquid cannot pass, and a gas liquid interface being formed at the gap section.

Abstract: Dry etching of a metal oxide film exposed without being coated with a photoresist is carried out with plasma of a gas obtained by mixing hydrogen iodide with at least one gas selected from the group consisting of a group consisting of fluorine gas and fluorine-based compound gases and a group consisting of nitrogen gas and nitrogen-based compound gases, and then after the exposing of the above mentioned photoresist film to plasma of oxygen gas, the remaining photoresist film is removed by etching with plasma of a gas obtained by mixing oxygen gas with at least one gas selected from the group consisting of a group consisting of fluorine gas and fluorine-based compound gases and a group consisting of nitrogen gas and nitrogen-based compound gases.

Abstract: A thin microcrystalline silicon semiconductor film suitable for use as an intrinsic semiconductor layer in an amorphous silicon solar cell or the like. The thin microcrystalline silicon semiconductor film comprises an amorphous phase with crystallites contained therein in the form of a prismatic or conical crystallite aggregate phase. Additional crystallites may be dispersed as individual crystallites in the amorphous phase. In the thin film, the crystalline fraction may preferably range from 5 to 80% and the crystallite size may preferably range from 2 to 1,000 nm. This thin film can be formed by first forming an initial film to a thickness in a range of from 2 nm to 100 nm at a deposition rate of from 0.01 nm/sec to 0.1 nm/sec on a substrate and then forming a principal film at a deposition rate of from 0.1 nm/sec to 2 nm/sec, for example, in accordance with RF plasma CVD.