Abstract: A catalytic chemical vapor deposition apparatus comprising a catalyst wire including a tantalum wire and a boride layer formed on a surface of the tantalum wire is used. The boride of the metal tantalum (tantalum boride) is harder than the metal tantalum. Therefore, by using the tantalum wire having the boride layer formed on the surface thereof as a catalyst wire, it is possible to reduce thermal expansion of the catalyst wire, improve mechanical strength, and prolong the service life. Further, by performing energization heating of the catalyst wire by continuous energization, it is further possible to prolong the service life of the catalyst wire.

Abstract: A catalytic chemical vapor deposition apparatus comprising a catalyst wire including a tantalum wire and a boride layer formed on a surface of the tantalum wire is used. The boride of the metal tantalum (tantalum boride) is harder than the metal tantalum. Therefore, by using the tantalum wire having the boride layer formed on the surface thereof as a catalyst wire, it is possible to reduce thermal expansion of the catalyst wire, improve mechanical strength, and prolong the service life. Further, by performing energization heating of the catalyst wire by continuous energization, it is further possible to prolong the service life of the catalyst wire.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a method of producing a thin film transistor superior in productivity and capable of preventing variation in transistor characteristics among devices from occurring to improve carrier mobility, and a thin film transistor. [Solving Means] In a method of producing a thin-film transistor according to the present invention, a solid-state green laser is irradiated onto a channel portion of an amorphous silicon film using a source electrode film and a drain electrode film as masks, thereby improving mobility. Since the channel portion of the amorphous silicon film is crystallized by the irradiation of the solid-state green laser, laser oscillation characteristics can be more stable than in a conventional method that uses an excimer laser. Further, laser irradiation onto a large-size substrate at uniform output characteristics in plane becomes possible, with the result that a variation in crystallinity of channel portions among devices can be avoided.

Abstract: A self-cleaning catalytic chemical vapor deposition apparatus which suppresses the corrosion-induced degradation of a catalytic body by a cleaning gas without heating a catalytic body to not less than 2000° C. and permits practical cleaning rates and good cleaning at low cost. Conductors supply a constant current to a catalytic body within a reaction chamber from a heating power supply. Terminals of the heating power supply are electrically insulated from the reaction chamber. A cleaning gas containing halogen elements is introduced into the evacuated reaction chamber. The catalytic body is heated by the heating power supply. An active species generated by this heating reacts with an adhering film adhered to the interior of the reaction chamber, which is removed. During this removal, a DC bias voltage with appropriate polarity and appropriate value is applied from a constant-voltage power supply to the conductor of the heating power supply.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device manufacturing system in which a photoelectric conversion device is manufactured, the photoelectric conversion device including a p-type semiconductor layer, an i-type semiconductor layer, and an n-type semiconductor layer which are sequentially layered on a transparent-electroconductive film formed on a substrate in the photoelectric conversion device.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device manufacturing method manufactures a photoelectric conversion device in which a first photoelectric conversion unit and a second photoelectric conversion unit are sequentially stacked on a transparent-electroconductive film formed on a substrate. The method includes: forming each of a first p-type semiconductor layer, a first i-type semiconductor layer, a first n-type semiconductor layer, and a second p-type semiconductor layer in a plurality of first plasma CVD reaction chambers; exposing the second p-type semiconductor layer to an air atmosphere; supplying a gas including p-type impurities to inside a second plasma CVD reaction chamber before forming of the second i-type semiconductor layer; forming the second i-type semiconductor layer on the second p-type semiconductor layer that was exposed to an air atmosphere, in the second plasma CVD reaction chamber; and forming the second n-type semiconductor layer on the second i-type semiconductor layer.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a catalytic chemical vapor deposition apparatus capable of prolonging the service life of a catalyst wire. [Solving Means] In a catalytic chemical vapor deposition apparatus (1) according to the present invention, a catalyst wire (6) including a tantalum wire and a boride layer formed on a surface of the tantalum wire is used. The boride of the metal tantalum (tantalum boride) is harder than the metal tantalum. Therefore, by using the tantalum wire having the boride layer formed on the surface thereof as a catalyst wire, it is possible to reduce thermal expansion of the catalyst wire, improve mechanical strength, and prolong the service life. Further, by performing energization heating of the catalyst wire (6) by continuous energization, it is further possible to prolong the service life of the catalyst wire (6).

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device manufacturing method, includes: continuously forming a first p-type semiconductor layer, a first i-type semiconductor layer, and a first n-type semiconductor layer, which constitute a first-photoelectric conversion unit, and a second p-type semiconductor layer which constitutes a second-photoelectric conversion unit, in decompression chambers that are different from each other; exposing the second p-type semiconductor layer to an air atmosphere; and forming a second i-type semiconductor layer and a second n-type semiconductor layer, which constitute the second-photoelectric conversion unit, on the second p-type semiconductor layer of the second-photoelectric conversion unit which was exposed to the air atmosphere, in the same decompression chamber.

Abstract: To provide a vacuum processing apparatus capable of supporting and conveying a substrate by a method suitable for a processing content in each processing step and capable of suppressing various mechanisms provided within a processing chamber from being adversely affected. More particularly, the CVD chamber of the apparatus is configured to be horizontal, and hence the above-mentioned problem can be solved. Further, by configuring a sputtering apparatus as the vertical type processing apparatus, problems with abnormal electrical discharge can be solved.

Abstract: A solar cell includes: a substrate having optical transparency; a photoelectric converter provided on the substrate, including a top-face electrode having optical transparency, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a back-face electrode having light reflectivity; and a low-refractive conductive layer whose refractive index is less than or equal to 2.0, the low-refractive conductive layer being made of a conductive material having optical transparency, being adjacent to the photoelectric conversion layer, and being disposed on a side of the photoelectric conversion layer opposite to the substrate.

Abstract: A resin substrate of the present invention has a resin layer and a surface layer formed on a surface of the resin layer, wherein the surface layer is a layer comprising silicon nitride as a main component and deposited by the chemical vapor deposition method, and at the interface between the resin layer and the surface layer, at the interface between the resin layer and the surface layer, an interfacial region over which a percentage changes from 80% to 20% has a thickness of not more than 25 nm, wherein the difference between the maximum nitrogen concentration in the surface layer and the steady-state nitrogen concentration in the resin layer is taken as 100%. The surface layer has an average surface roughness (Ra) of not more than 1 nm. The resin substrate has properties of water vapor barrier and surface flatness.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a method of producing a thin film transistor superior in productivity and capable of preventing variation in transistor characteristics among devices from occurring to improve carrier mobility, and a thin film transistor. [Solving Means] In a method of producing a thin-film transistor according to the present invention, a solid-state green laser is irradiated onto a channel portion of an amorphous silicon film using a source electrode film and a drain electrode film as masks, thereby improving mobility. Since the channel portion of the amorphous silicon film is crystallized by the irradiation of the solid-state green laser, laser oscillation characteristics can be more stable than in a conventional method that uses an excimer laser. Further, laser irradiation onto a large-size substrate at uniform output characteristics in plane becomes possible, with the result that a variation in crystallinity of channel portions among devices can be avoided.

Abstract: To provide a unit-layer post-treatment catalyst vapor-deposition apparatus and unit-layer post-treatment film forming method capable of improving in-face uniformity, step coverage, and film quality of a silicon nitride film or the like and forming a thin film by performing surface treatment after forming a film for each unit layer.

Abstract: Provided is a self-cleaning catalytic chemical vapor deposition apparatus which suppresses the corrosion-induced degradation of a catalytic body by a cleaning gas without heating a catalytic body to not less than 2000° C. and permits practical cleaning rates and good cleaning at low cost. With conductors 5a, 5b which supply a constant current to a catalytic body 4 within a reaction chamber 2 from a heating power supply 6 and terminals 6a, 6b of the heating power supply 6 kept electrically insulated from the reaction chamber 2, a cleaning gas containing halogen elements is introduced into the reaction chamber 2 which has been evacuated, and the catalytic body 4 is heated by the energization from the heating power supply 6. An active species generated by this heating is caused to react with an adhering film which adheres to the interior of the reaction chamber 2, whereby the adhering film is removed.

Abstract: In a plasma film-forming apparatus which includes a film-forming chamber in which a substrate is arranged, a film-forming gas introducing pipe connected to a supply source of a film-forming gas at its first end, a shower plate through numerous holes of which a second end of said film-forming gas introducing pipe communicate with said film-forming chamber, film-gas exciting means for exciting film-forming gas introduced through said shower plate into said film-forming chamber, to form a film on the surface of said substrate with the chemical reaction, radicals-producing means which excites said cleaning gas and produces radicals, and cleaning-gas introducing means which introduces said cleaning gas containing said radicals into said film-forming chamber, the improvement in which said cleaning-gas introducing means communicate directly with said film-forming chamber.

Abstract: In a plasma film-forming apparatus which includes a film-forming chamber in which a substrate is arranged, a film-forming gas introducing pipe connected to a supply source of a film-forming gas at its first end, a shower plate through numerous holes of which a second end of said film-forming gas introducing pipe communicate with said film-forming chamber, film-gas exciting means for exciting film-forming gas introduced through said shower plate into said film-forming chamber, to form a film on the surface of said substrate with the chemical reaction, radicals-producing means which excites said cleaning gas and produces radicals, and cleaning-gas introducing means which introduces said cleaning gas containing said radicals into said film-forming chamber, the improvement in which said cleaning-gas introducing means communicate directly with said film-forming chamber.

Abstract: An enhancement of the Kerr rotation angle is obtained in a magnetic recording member by providing an amorphous layer of Si, Ge, or alloy thereof. Such layer may further contain any of the following additional elements: H, C, F, N and O.