Abstract: An integrated thin-film solar battery having a plurality of unit elements connected in series includes a substrate, a plurality of spaced apart first electrode layers formed on the substrate; a plurality of semiconductor layers disposed on said plurality of first electrode layers in such a manner that each of the semiconductor layers is formed on two adjacent first electrodes and has a connection opening located on one of the two first electrodes, an electrically conductive layer formed on each of the semiconductor layers except on the region of the connection opening, and a second electrode layer disposed on each of the electrically conductive layers such that the second electrode layer is electrically connected to one of the two adjacent first electrode layers through the connection opening, to form a region interposed between the second electrode layer and the other first electrode layer as the unit element.

Abstract: An integrated thin-film solar battery having a plurality of unit elements connected in series includes a substrate, a plurality of spaced apart first electrode layers formed on the substrate; a plurality of semiconductor layers disposed on said plurality of first electrode layers in such a manner that each of the semiconductor layers is formed on two adjacent first electrodes and has a connection opening located on one of the two first electrodes, an electrically conductive layer formed on each of the semiconductor layers except on the region of the connection opening, and a second electrode layer disposed on each of the electrically conductive layers such that the second electrode layer is electrically connected to one of the two adjacent first electrode layers through the connection opening, to form a region interposed between the second electrode layer and the other first electrode layer as the unit element.

Abstract: An integrated thin-film solar battery having a plurality of unit elements connected in series includes a substrate, a plurality of spaced apart first electrode layers formed on the substrate; a plurality of semiconductor layers disposed on said plurality of first electrode layers in such a manner that each of the semiconductor layers is formed on two adjacent first electrodes and has a connection opening located on one of the two first electrodes, an electrically conductive layer formed on each of the semiconductor layers except on the region of the connection opening, and a second electrode layer disposed on each of the electrically conductive layers such that the second electrode layer is electrically connected to one of the two adjacent first electrode layers through the connection opening, to form a region interposed between the second electrode layer and the other first electrode layer as the unit element.

Abstract: The invention provides two kinds of structures for a thin-film solar cell that is improved in the adhesive strength and reflectance of a back surface electrode layer. According to the first structure, in a thin-film solar cell in which a transparent electrode layer, a thin-film semiconductor layer, and a back surface electrode layer are laid in stated order on an insulative transparent substrate, the back surface electrode layer consists of a first transparent conductive metal compound layer having a smaller refractive index than a semiconductor that constitutes the thin-film semiconductor layer, a second transparent conductive metal compound layer, and a metal layer. The second transparent conductive metal compound layer contains at least one of components of the first transparent conductive metal compound layer and a component of the metal layer.

Abstract: The invention seeks to reduce residual image in the vertical direction, which is the most significant drawback in the charge storage system, and further to permit increased speed of operation to be obtained.To this end, an image sensor of matrix drive type according to the invention comprises m by n diode pairs each including a photo- and a blocking diode PD and BD with the cathode electrodes thereof connected in series, the diode pairs constituting n blocks B.sub.1,B.sub.2 . . . , Bn each of m diode pairs. A clamp diode CD is connected to the juncture between the photo- and blocking diodes PD and BD in each diode pair to clamp the potential on the juncture and thus permit complete and quick charging of the capacitance of the photo-diode PD.