Abstract: There is disclosed an exhaust processing process of a processing apparatus for processing a substrate or a film, which comprises after the processing of the substrate or the film, introducing a non-reacted gas and/or a by-product into a trap means comprising a filament comprised of a high-melting metal material comprising as a main component at least one of tungsten, molybdenum and rhenium; and processing the non-reacted gas and/or the by-product inside the trap means. This makes it possible to prevent lowering in exhaust conductance, to lengthen the maintenance cycle of the processing apparatus, and to provide a high-quality product (processed substrate or film).

Abstract: There is disclosed an exhaust processing process of a processing apparatus for processing a substrate or a film, which comprises after the processing of the substrate or the film, introducing a non-reacted gas and/or a by-product into a trap means comprising a filament comprised of a high-melting metal material comprising as a main component at least one of tungsten, molybdenum and rhenium; and processing the non-reacted gas and/or the by-product inside the trap means. This makes it possible to prevent lowering in exhaust conductance, to lengthen the maintenance cycle of the processing apparatus, and to provide a high-quality product (processed substrate or film).

Abstract: There is disclosed an exhaust processing process of a processing apparatus for processing a substrate or a film, which comprises after the processing of the substrate or the film, introducing a non-reacted gas and/or a by-product into a trap means comprising a filament comprised of a high-melting metal material comprising as a main component at least one of tungsten, molybdenum and rhenium; and processing the non-reacted gas and/or the by-product inside the trap means. This makes it possible to prevent lowering in exhaust conductance, to lengthen the maintenance cycle of the processing apparatus, and to provide a high-quality product (processed substrate or film).

Abstract: There is disclosed an exhaust processing process of a processing apparatus for processing a substrate or a film, which comprises after the processing of the substrate or the film, introducing a non-reacted gas and/or a by-product into a trap means comprising a filament comprised of a high-melting metal material comprising as a main component at least one of tungsten, molybdenum and rhenium; and processing the non-reacted gas and/or the by-product inside the trap means. This makes it possible to prevent lowering in exhaust conductance, to lengthen the maintenance cycle of the processing apparatus, and to provide a high-quality product (processed substrate or film).

Abstract: A method for forming a deposited film containing microcrystalline silicon on a moving substrate by plasma-enhanced CVD includes forming a deposited film containing microcrystalline silicon on a moving substrate by plasma-enhanced CVD under conditions such that when a deposited film having a thickness of 300 nm or more is formed on a substrate while the substrate is in a stationary state, an area of the microcrystalline silicon region in which an intensity of Raman scattering attributed to a crystalline substance in the deposited film is equal to or higher than three times an intensity of Raman scattering attributed to an amorphous is 50% or more of the total area based on the area of the microcrystalline silicon region and the area of a region composed of the amorphous.

Abstract: A method for forming a deposited film containing microcrystalline silicon on a moving substrate by plasma-enhanced CVD includes forming a deposited film containing microcrystalline silicon on a moving substrate by plasma-enhanced CVD under conditions such that when a deposited film having a thickness of 300 nm or more is formed on a substrate while the substrate is in a stationary state, an area of the microcrystalline silicon region in which an intensity of Raman scattering attributed to a crystalline substance in the deposited film is equal to or higher than three times an intensity of Raman scattering attributed to an amorphous is 50% or more of the total area based on the area of the microcrystalline silicon region and the area of a region composed of the amorphous.

Abstract: There is disclosed an exhaust processing process of a processing apparatus for processing a substrate or a film, which comprises after the processing of the substrate or the film, introducing a non-reacted gas and/or a by-product into a trap means comprising a filament comprised of a high-melting metal material comprising as a main component at least one of tungsten, molybdenum and rhenium; and processing the non-reacted gas and/or the by-product inside the trap means. This makes it possible to prevent lowering in exhaust conductance, to lengthen the maintenance cycle of the processing apparatus, and to provide a high-quality product (processed substrate or film).

Abstract: A chemical-reaction inducing means is provided in an exhaust line connecting a processing space for subjecting a substrate or a film to plasma processing to an exhaust means, and at least either an unreacted gas or byproduct exhausted from the processing space are caused to chemically react without allowing plasma in the processing space to reach the chemical-reaction inducing means, thereby improving the processing ability of the chemical-reaction inducing means to process the unreacted gas or byproduct.

Abstract: A chemical-reaction inducing means is provided in an exhaust line connecting a processing space for subjecting a substrate or a film to plasma processing to an exhaust means, and at least either an unreacted gas or byproduct exhausted from the processing space are caused to chemically react without allowing plasma in the processing space to reach the chemical-reaction inducing means, thereby improving the processing ability of the chemical-reaction inducing means to process the unreacted gas or byproduct.

Abstract: A method of forming a silicon-based thin film according to the present invention comprises introducing a source gas containing silicon fluoride and hydrogen into a vacuum vessel, and using a high frequency plasma CVD method to form a silicon-based thin film on a substrate introduced into the vacuum vessel, wherein a luminous intensity attributed to SiF? (440 nm) is not smaller than a luminous intensity attributed to H? (656 nm), thereby providing a photovoltaic element with excellent performance at a low cost as compared with a conventional one, a method of forming a silicon-based thin film with excellent characteristics in a short process cycle time at a further increased film-forming rate, a silicon-based thin film formed by the method, and a photovoltaic element comprising the silicon-based thin film with excellent characteristics, adhesion, and resistance to the environments.

Abstract: A method of forming a silicon-based thin film according to the present invention comprises introducing a source gas containing silicon fluoride and hydrogen into a vacuum vessel, and using a high frequency plasma CVD method to form a silicon-based thin film on a substrate introduced into the vacuum vessel, wherein a luminous intensity attributed to SiF? (440 nm) is not smaller than a luminous intensity attributed to H? (656 nm), thereby providing a photovoltaic element with excellent performance at a low cost as compared with a conventional one, a method of forming a silicon-based thin film with excellent characteristics in a short process cycle time at a further increased film-forming rate, a silicon-based thin film formed by the method, and a photovoltaic element comprising the silicon-based thin film with excellent characteristics, adhesion, and resistance to the environments.

Abstract: An apparatus for efficiently and continuously mass-producing a photovoltaic element by a plasma CVD method having an excellent current-voltage characteristic and excellent photoelectric conversion efficiency. The apparatus has a first chamber where raw material gas flows from top to bottom. A second chamber is connected to the first chamber by a separating path and causes the raw material gas to flow from bottom to top along the movement direction of the long substrate.

Abstract: To provide an apparatus for forming a deposited film, which is a parallel plate electrode type CVD apparatus, with a discharge vessel receiving a material gas flowing therein and discharging air therefrom, decomposing the material gas by the aid of a plasma generated therein, and depositing the film on the substrate, in which the exhaust port of the material gas exhaust means has an opening wider in the lateral direction than the parallel plate electrode. This structure diminishes the stagnant region of the material gas during the deposited film forming process and controls formation of by-products, to deposit the film uniform in quality and thickness.

Abstract: The invention provides a semiconductor element having a semiconductor junction composed of silicon-based films, at least one of the silicon-based films containing a microcrystal. The microcrystal is located in at least one interface region of the silicon-based film containing the microcrystal and has no orientation property. Further, the invention provides a semiconductor element having a semiconductor junction composed of silicon-based films, at least one of the silicon-based films containing a microcrystal, and the orientation property of the microcrystal changing in a film thickness direction of the silicon-based film containing the microcrystal. Thereby, a silicon-based film having a shortened tact time, an increased film forming rate, and excellent characteristics, and a semiconductor element including this silicon-based film having excellent adhesion and environmental resistance can be obtained.

Abstract: In a process for forming a silicon-based film on a substrate according to the present invention, the substrate has a temperature gradient in the thickness direction thereof in the formation of the silicon-based film and the temperature gradient is made such that a deposition surface of the substrate has a higher temperature than a backside or the direction of the temperature gradient is reversed. With this configuration, the present invention provides a silicon-based thin film having good properties at a high deposition rate and provides a semiconductor device including it. The present invention also provides a semiconductor device including the silicon-based thin films that has good adhesion and weather-resisting properties and that can be manufactured in a short tact time.

Abstract: There is disclosed an exhaust processing process of a processing apparatus for processing a substrate or a film, which comprises after the processing of the substrate or the film, introducing a non-reacted gas and/or a by-product into a trap means comprising a filament comprised of a high-melting metal material comprising as a main component at least one of tungsten, molybdenum and rhenium; and processing the non-reacted gas and/or the by-product inside the trap means. This makes it possible to prevent lowering in exhaust conductance to lengthen the maintenance cycle of the processing apparatus, and to provide a high-quality product (processed substrate or film).

Abstract: A deposited film-forming apparatus by means of high frequency plasma CVD and having a power application electrode arranged in a film-forming vacuum vessel, a high frequency power source connected to said power application electrode, a direct current power source which is connected to said power application electrode and is connected with said high frequency power source in parallel connection, a detector for detecting a symptom of occurrence of arc discharge, and an arc discharge preventive means for preventing occurrence of arc discharge based on said symptom of occurrence of arc discharge which is detected by said detector, wherein said arc discharge preventive means is connected between said power application electrode and said direct current power source such that said arc discharge preventive means is connected with said direct current power source in series connection and is connected with said high frequency power source in parallel connection.

Abstract: There is disclosed an exhaust processing process of a processing apparatus for processing a substrate or a film, which comprises after the processing of the substrate or the film, introducing a non-reacted gas and/or a by-product into a trap means comprising a filament comprised of a high-melting metal material comprising as a main component at least one of tungsten, molybdenum and rhenium; and processing the non-reacted gas and/or the by-product inside the trap means. This makes it possible to prevent lowering in exhaust conductance, to lengthen the maintenance cycle of the processing apparatus, and to provide a high-quality product (processed substrate or film).

Abstract: The photovoltaic element of the present invention is a photovoltaic element comprised of a semiconductor-junctioned element, characterized in that the element includes a first electrically conductive type semiconductor layer, a non-crystalline i type semiconductor layer, a microcrystalline i type semiconductor layer and a microcrystalline second electrically conductive type semiconductor layer and is pin-junctioned, and a method of and an apparatus for manufacturing the same are characterized by efficiently and continuously mass-producing the photovoltaic element having an excellent current-voltage characteristic and excellent photoelectric conversion efficiency.

Abstract: In a process for forming a silicon-based film on a substrate according to the present invention, the substrate has a temperature gradient in the thickness direction thereof in the formation of the silicon-based film and the temperature gradient is made such that a deposition surface of the substrate has a higher temperature than a backside or the direction of the temperature gradient is reversed. With this configuration, the present invention provides a silicon-based thin film having good properties at a high deposition rate and provide a semiconductor device including it. The present invention also provides a semiconductor device including the silicon-based thin films that has good adhesion and weather-resisting properties and that can be manufactured in a short tact time.