Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid-state image pickup device that includes a substrate including a photoelectric conversion unit and a waveguide arranged on the substrate, the waveguide corresponding to the photoelectric conversion unit and including a core and a cladding, includes a first step and a second step, in which in the first step and the second step, a member to be formed into the core is formed in an opening in the cladding by high-density plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and in which after the first step, in the second step, the member to be formed into the core is formed by the high-density plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition under conditions in which the ratio of a radio-frequency power on the back face side of the substrate to a radio-frequency power on the front face side of the substrate is higher than that in the first step.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device which includes: a substrate including a photoelectric conversion element; and a light guide which includes an insulator having an opening corresponding to the photoelectric conversion element and containing silicon oxide and a member located in the opening and containing silicon nitride, the method includes: forming a first silicon nitride film which forms the member in the opening by a parallel plate type plasma CVD apparatus; and forming a second silicon nitride film which forms the member in the opening and on the first silicon nitride film by a high density plasma CVD apparatus. In the photoelectric conversion device, the first silicon nitride film has a thickness of 55 nm or more.

Abstract: The method includes a step of forming a mask having an opening, for forming an opening in multiple insulating films, above a semiconductor substrate on which a member becoming a first insulating film, a member becoming a second insulating film being different from the member becoming the first insulating film, a member becoming a third insulating film, and a member becoming a fourth insulating film being different from the member becoming the third insulating film are stacked in this order; a first step of continuously removing the member becoming the fourth insulating film and the member becoming the third insulating film at a portion corresponding to the opening of the mask; and a second step of removing the member becoming the second insulating film, after the first step, at a portion corresponding to the opening of the mask.

Abstract: The method includes a step of forming a mask having an opening, for forming an opening in multiple insulating films, above a semiconductor substrate on which a member becoming a first insulating film, a member becoming a second insulating film being different from the member becoming the first insulating film, a member becoming a third insulating film, and a member becoming a fourth insulating film being different from the member becoming the third insulating film are stacked in this order; a first step of continuously removing the member becoming the fourth insulating film and the member becoming the third insulating film at a portion corresponding to the opening of the mask; and a second step of removing the member becoming the second insulating film, after the first step, at a portion corresponding to the opening of the mask.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid-state image pickup device that includes a substrate including a photoelectric conversion unit and a waveguide arranged on the substrate, the waveguide corresponding to the photoelectric conversion unit and including a core and a cladding, includes a first step and a second step, in which in the first step and the second step, a member to be formed into the core is formed in an opening in the cladding by high-density plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and in which after the first step, in the second step, the member to be formed into the core is formed by the high-density plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition under conditions in which the ratio of a radio-frequency power on the back face side of the substrate to a radio-frequency power on the front face side of the substrate is higher than that in the first step.

Abstract: A method of forming a laminate and a method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device using the laminate are provided. The laminate forming method includes a first step of forming an intermediate layer on a base member, and a second step of forming a metal layer on the intermediate layer, the adhesion of the metal layer to the base member being lower than that of the intermediate layer, the reflectance of the metal layer being higher than that of the intermediate layer. The rate of formation of the metal layer is increased at an intermediate stage in the second step. The laminate thereby formed has improved characteristics and is capable of maintaining improved reflection characteristics and adhesion even under high-temperature and high-humidity conditions or during long-term use.

Abstract: A film of zinc oxide electrochemically deposited from an aqueous solution is subjected to heat treatment at a temperature equal to or higher than 150° C. and equal to or lower than 400° C. in a nitrogen or inert gas atmosphere that contains oxygen, thereby obtaining a zinc oxide film that is low in electric resistance without impairing the light transmittance of the zinc oxide film.

Abstract: A droplet ejection head includes a nozzle plate that has nozzles and includes a polymer material. The polymer material forming the nozzle plate includes a lubricant having an average particle size of not smaller than 0.01 ?m and not larger than 8% of a hole diameter of each of the nozzles.

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 laminate and a method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device using the laminate are provided. The laminate forming method includes a first step of forming an intermediate layer on a base member, and a second step of forming a metal layer on the intermediate layer, the adhesion of the metal layer to the base member being lower than that of the intermediate layer, the reflectance of the metal layer being higher than that of the intermediate layer. The rate of formation of the metal layer is increased at an intermediate stage in the second step. The laminate thereby formed has improved characteristics and is capable of maintaining improved reflection characteristics and adhesion even under high-temperature and high-humidity conditions or during long-term use.

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 laminate and a method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device using the laminate are provided. The laminate forming method includes a first step of forming an intermediate layer on a base member, and a second step of forming a metal layer on the intermediate layer, the adhesion of the metal layer to the base member being lower than that of the intermediate layer, the reflectance of the metal layer being higher than that of the intermediate layer. The rate of formation of the metal layer is increased at an intermediate stage in the second step. The laminate thereby formed has improved characteristics and is capable of maintaining improved reflection characteristics and adhesion even under high-temperature and high-humidity conditions or during long-term use.

Abstract: In a zinc oxide film having a plurality of texture constituents comprised of hills each having structure wherein a first surface borders on a second surface along one curved line, texture constituents in which first surfaces the hills of the texture constituents have have an average angle of inclination in a size within the range of from 30 degrees or more to 60 degrees or less and second surfaces have an average angle of inclination in a size within the range of from 10 degrees or more to 35 degrees or less account for at least a half of the plurality of texture constituents. This enables improvement in characteristics and durability of zinc oxide films used as optical confinement layers in photovoltaic devices, and also enables formation thereof at a low cost.

Abstract: A method for forming a deposition film from an aqueous solution by electrochemical reaction includes the steps of: forming the targeted deposition film under primary deposition conditions; replacing at least part of members in contact with the solution or removing deposit on surfaces of the members; and depositing a film under secondary deposition conditions. These steps are performed in that order. Then, the deposition film is formed again under the primary deposition conditions. In the method, the resulting deposition film exhibits desired characteristics even after maintenance of the deposition apparatus.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for forming a plurality of silicon-based thin films on a substrate using a plurality of deposited film forming vessels that can form silicon-based thin films of higher quality and excellent uniformity by applying a high frequency power of a first frequency selected from the range between 30 MHz and 500 MHz to a power-applying electrode in a deposited film forming vessel wherein the distance between the power-supplying electrode and the substrate is 10 mm±5 mm, and by supplying a high frequency power of a second frequency selected from the range between 10 MHz and 30 MHz to a power-supplying electrode in a deposited film forming vessel wherein the distance between the power-supplying electrode and the substrate is 20 mm±5 mm.

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: A film, typically a silicon-based film, is formed on a substrate by means of a plasma CVD process using a high frequency wave in a condition where a resistance element made of a different material than that of the substrate is provided on the electric path between the substrate and the earth. The resultant film shows a high quality and an improved adhesion strength while it can be formed at a practically high rate.

Abstract: The method of the present invention is a method of forming a silicon-based semiconductor layer by introducing a source gas into a vacuum vessel and forming a silicon-based semiconductor layer containing a microcrystal on a substrate introduced into the vacuum vessel by plasma CVD, which comprises a first step of forming a first region with a source gas containing halogen atoms, and a second step of forming a second region on the first region under a condition where the source gas containing halogen atoms in the second step is lower in gas concentration than that of the first step, thereby providing a method of forming a silicon-based semiconductor layer having an excellent photoelectric characteristic at a film forming rate of an industrially practical level and a photovoltaic element using the silicon-based semiconductor layer formed by the method.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photovoltaic element including a structure with a first pin-junction having an i-type semiconductor layer made of amorphous silicon and a second pin-junction having an i-type semiconductor layer contains crystalline silicon which are arranged in series on a substrate, wherein the first pin-junction has a first intermediate layer at a p/i interface and a second intermediate layer at an n/i interface, and the second pin-junction has a third intermediate layer at a p/i interface and a fourth intermediate layer at an n/i interface, and wherein the second intermediate layer and the third intermediate layer are made of amorphous silicon and the first intermediate layer and the fourth intermediate layer contain crystalline silicon, or wherein the second intermediate layer and the third intermediate layer contain crystalline silicon and the first intermediate layer and the fourth intermediate layer are made of amorphous silicon.

Abstract: A silicon based film is provided which comprises a crystal phase formed on a substrate with a surface shape represented by a function f, wherein the silicon-based film is formed on a substrate with a surface shape having a standard deviation of an inclination arctan (df/dx) from 15° to 55° within the range of a sampling length dx from 20 nm to 100 nm. Raman scattering strength resulting from an amorphous component in the silicon-based film is not more than a Raman scattering strength resulting from a crystalline component. A difference between a spacing in a direction parallel to a principal surface of the substrate and a spacing of a single crystal silicon is within the range of 0.2% to 1.0% with regard to the spacing of the single crystal silicon.