Abstract: An ultrasonic treatment apparatus according to the present invention includes: a treatment tank capable of containing a treatment object and a treatment liquid for immersing the treatment object; and an ultrasonic application mechanism that applies ultrasonic waves to the treatment liquid, wherein the treatment tank has a long axis where cross-sectional shapes are substantially identical to each other, and a wall surface to a scheduled liquid level height line of the treatment liquid is formed by a concave surface, and the ultrasonic application mechanism is installed at a position where an angle ? formed by a normal line of an oscillation surface of ultrasonic waves and the scheduled liquid level line of the treatment liquid is 5° to 80°.

Abstract: To improve propagation performance and uniformity of ultrasonic waves more easily, even when treating multiple treatment objects. An ultrasonic treatment apparatus according to the present invention includes: a treatment tank capable of containing a treatment object and a treatment liquid for immersing the treatment object; and an ultrasonic application mechanism that applies ultrasonic waves to the treatment liquid, wherein the treatment tank has a long axis where cross-sectional shapes are substantially identical to each other, and a wall surface to a scheduled liquid level height line of the treatment liquid is formed by a concave surface, and the ultrasonic application mechanism is installed at a position where an angle ? formed by a normal line of an oscillation surface of ultrasonic waves and the scheduled liquid level line of the treatment liquid is 5° to 80°.

Abstract: A light wavelength conversion member in which silicon nanoparticles are dispersed having a higher photoluminescence intensity, a method of production of the same, a photovoltaic module, and a photovoltaic cell, in particular, a light wavelength conversion member comprised of a substrate on one surface of which is formed a silicon oxide film in which silicon nanoparticles of a size of 1 nm to 10 nm are dispersed, the silicon oxide film, when the silicon oxide film is measured by the electron spin resonance method, having a spin density in the range of g=1.998±0.001 of 1×1016/cm3 or less and a spin density in the range of g=2.003±0.001 of 3×1016/cm3 or less and having a photoluminescence quantum yield with respect to incident light of a wavelength of 300 nm to 500 nm of 15% or more.

Abstract: A selective emitter exhibiting heat resistance up to 1000° C., comprising a metal body, a first dielectric layer provided on one surface of the metal body, a composite layer provided on another surface of the first dielectric layer at an opposite side to the metal body side, and a second dielectric layer provided on another surface of the composite layer at an opposite side to the first dielectric layer, the composite layer being a layer provided with a metal or semiconductor dispersed in an oxide of the metal or the semiconductor.

Abstract: A selective emitter exhibiting heat resistance up to 1000° C., comprising a metal body, a first dielectric layer provided on one surface of the metal body, a composite layer provided on another surface of the first dielectric layer at an opposite side to the metal body side, and a second dielectric layer provided on another surface of the composite layer at an opposite side to the first dielectric layer, the composite layer being a layer provided with a metal or semiconductor dispersed in an oxide of the metal or the semiconductor.

Abstract: A thermophotovoltaic conversion member able to selectively absorb and emit light of a short wavelength, provided with a multilayer structure of a metal region on which at least one silicide layer and a dielectric layer are alternately formed, a total number of the silicide layers and the dielectric layers being three layers to 12 layers, the multilayer structure having, in order on the metal region 1, a silicide layer B2, a dielectric layer M3, and a silicide layer M4 and the silicide layer B2 having a thickness of 5 nm to 25 nm, the dielectric layer M3 having a thickness of 10 nm to 45 nm, and the silicide layer M4 having a thickness of 2 nm to 15 nm.

Abstract: Provided are: a method for manufacturing a highly pure silicon by unidirectional solidification of molten silicon, that can inexpensively and industrially easily manufacture highly pure silicon that has a low oxygen concentration and low carbon concentration and is suitable for applications such as manufacturing solar cells; highly pure silicon obtained by this method; and silicon raw material for manufacturing highly pure silicon. A method for manufacturing highly pure silicon using molten silicon containing 100 to 1000 ppmw of carbon and 0.5 to 2000 ppmw of germanium as the raw material when manufacturing highly pure silicon by unidirectionally solidifying molten silicon raw material in a casting container, the highly pure silicon obtained by this method, and the silicon raw material for manufacturing the highly pure silicon.

Abstract: Provided are a method for manufacturing a highly pure silicon by unidirectional solidification of molten silicon, that can inexpensively and industrially easily manufacture highly pure silicon that has a low oxygen concentration and low carbon concentration and is suitable for applications such as manufacturing solar cells; highly pure silicon obtained by this method and silicon raw material for manufacturing highly pure silicon. A method for manufacturing highly pure silicon using molten silicon containing 100 to 1000 ppmw of carbon and 0.5 to 2000 ppmw of germanium as the raw material when manufacturing highly pure silicon by unidirectionally solidifying molten silicon raw material in a casting container, the highly pure silicon obtained by this method, and the silicon raw material for manufacturing the highly pure silicon.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high purity silicon production system and production method suitable for using inexpensive metallurgical grade metal silicon as a material and using the slag refining method to produce high purity silicon with a purity of 6N or more suitable for solar battery applications, in particular, high purity silicon with a boron content of at least not more than 0.3 mass ppm, inexpensively on an industrial scale, that is, a high purity silicon production system and production method using the slag refining method wherein a direct electromagnetic induction heating means having the function of directly heating the molten silicon in the crucible by electromagnetic induction is arranged outside the outside wall surface of the above crucible and the crucible is formed by an oxidation resistant material at least at a region where the molten silicon contacts the crucible inside wall surface at the time of not powering the direct electromagnetic induction heating means.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of refining low purity Si by a slag, in particular removing B, which suppresses wear of the reaction vessel due to the slag and produces high purity Si used for solar battery materials etc. at a low cost, comprising adding SiO2 and an alkali oxide or alkali carbonate as a slag material into molten Si to form a slag during which adding one or more types of materials among materials the same as the reaction vessel material used or ingredients included in the reaction vessel material into the slag so as to remove the impurities in the molten Si.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high purity silicon production system and production method suitable for using inexpensive metallurgical grade metal silicon as a material and using the slag refining method to produce high purity silicon with a purity of 6N or more suitable for solar battery applications, in particular, high purity silicon with a boron content of at least not more than 0.3 mass ppm, inexpensively on an industrial scale, that is, a high purity silicon production system and production method using the slag refining method wherein a direct electromagnetic induction heating means having the function of directly heating the molten silicon in the crucible by electromagnetic induction is arranged outside the outside wall surface of the above crucible and the crucible is formed by an oxidation resistant material at least at a region where the molten silicon contacts the crucible inside wall surface at the time of not powering the direct electromagnetic induction heating means.

Abstract: A process for production of Si, characterized by adding an oxide, hydroxide, carbonate or fluoride of an alkali metal element, or an oxide, hydroxide, carbonate or fluoride of an alkaline earth metal element, or two or more of such compounds, to solid SiO in a total molar amount of from 1/20 to 1000 times with respect to the moles of solid SiO, heating the mixture at between the melting point of Si and 2000° C. to induce a chemical reaction which produces Si and separating and recovering the Si from the reaction by-product, for the purpose of inexpensively and efficiently producing Si from various forms of solid SiO with no industrial value produced from Si production steps and the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of refining low purity Si by a slag, in particular removing B, which suppresses wear of the reaction vessel due to the slag and produces high purity Si used for solar battery materials etc. at a low cost, comprising adding SiO2 and an alkali oxide or alkali carbonate as a slag material into molten Si to form a slag during which adding one or more types of materials among materials the same as the reaction vessel material used or ingredients included in the reaction vessel material into the slag so as to remove the impurities in the molten Si.

Abstract: A process for production of Si, characterized by adding an oxide, hydroxide, carbonate or fluoride of an alkali metal element, or an oxide, hydroxide, carbonate or fluoride of an alkaline earth metal element, or two or more of such compounds, to solid SiO in a total molar amount of from {fraction (1/20)} to 1000 times with respect to the moles of solid SiO, heating the mixture at between the melting point of Si and 2000° C. to induce a chemical reaction which produces Si and separating and recovering the Si from the reaction by-product, for the purpose of inexpensively and efficiently producing Si from various forms of solid SiO with no industrial value produced from Si production steps and the like.

Abstract: It is possible to produce high purity Si by heating solid SiO at a temperature of at least 1000° C. and lower than 1730° C., for a disproportionation reaction in which the SiO solid is decomposed to liquid or solid Si and solid SiO2, and the produced Si is separated from the SiO2 and/or SiO. The SiO solid can be obtained by a process whereby a starting mixture of carbon C, silicon Si or ferrosilicon, or a combination thereof, with SiO2 is heated to generate SiO gas-containing gas, and the SiO-containing gas is cooled to produce SiO solid.

Abstract: A dense insulating thin film having a remarkably improved insulating property can be formed by a process comprising a first step of forming a first portion of an insulating thin film on a substrate by a sputtering process without exposing the substrate to a plasma or while irradiating the substrate with low energy particles and a second step of forming a second portion of the insulating thin film on the first portion while exposing the substrate to a plasma or while irradiating the substrate with high energy particles, thereby forming said insulating thin film on the substrate. The insulating property in terms of the dielectric breakdown voltage is 100 V or more as determined in a film thickness of 1 .mu.m or less and an area of 20 mm.sup.2.