Abstract: Provided is a photoelectric conversion device fabrication method in which current leakage from an intermediate contact layer via an intermediate-contact-layer separating groove is prevented as much as possible. Included are a step of film-forming a top layer having amorphous silicon as a main component; a step of film-forming, on the top layer, an intermediate contact layer electrically and optically connected thereto; a step of separating the intermediate contact layer by removing the intermediate contact layer by irradiating it with a pulsed laser, forming an intermediate-contact-layer separating groove that reaches the top layer; and a step of film-forming, on the intermediate contact layer and inside the intermediate-contact-layer separating groove, a bottom layer electrically and optically connected thereto and having microcrystalline silicon as a main component. A pulsed laser having a pulse width of 10 ps to 750 ps, inclusive, is used as the pulsed laser for separating the intermediate contact layer.

Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a photoelectric-conversion-device capable of controlling the groove depth of a processed groove to a desired value. The method for manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device (10) includes a groove forming step of irradiating an intermediate-contact-layer separating groove (15) constituting a photoelectric conversion device (10) with a picosecond laser and of moving the picosecond laser relative to the intermediate-contact-layer separating groove (93), thereby forming a processed groove (15) in a predetermined scanning direction. In the groove forming step, interference fringes arranged in parallel in one direction are formed in an irradiated area corresponding to a beam diameter of the picosecond laser, and the picosecond laser is relatively moved such that the interference fringes are joined in the scanning direction.

Abstract: A desired search area is efficiently monitored. A surveillance device that is installed in a flying aircraft in the sky and that monitors the situation at the sea surface from the sky, including a light-transmitting portion that is provided with a light source and that radiates a plurality of slit-like beams from the sky toward a search area at the sea surface, a light-receiving portion that receives a plurality of reflected beams that have been reflected at an object at the sea surface, and a processor that determines whether or not the object at the sea surface that has reflected the beams is a target object from information about the reflected beams obtained by the light-receiving portion.

Abstract: Provided is a cutting apparatus for fiber-reinforced plastics that reduces an increase in processing cost and also reduces a decrease in the quality of a cut surface. The cutting apparatus includes a laser emitter (10) for emitting pulsed laser light for irradiation of a fiber-reinforced plastic (2) to be cut and a cutting head (30) for outputting the laser light emitted from the laser emitter (10) toward the fiber-reinforced plastic (2), the laser light has a pulse width of no less than 1 fs and no more than 999 ps, and the moving speed of the cutting head (30) relative to the fiber-reinforced plastic (2) is about 1.5 m/min or more.

Abstract: A needless irradiation region in an image-acquisition apparatus is reduced. Provided is a light-transmitting portion that radiates light and a light-receiving portion that receives reflected light, which is the light emitted from the light-transmitting portion being reflected upon reaching a target, and that converts the obtained reflected light to an image signal and outputs the image signal. The light-transmitting portion includes an irradiation scanning section that makes an irradiation region for a field of view smaller than the size of the entire field of view and that irradiates the entire field of view with light by scanning the irradiation region for the field of view.

Abstract: A desired search area is efficiently monitored. A surveillance device that is installed in a flying aircraft in the sky and that monitors the situation at the sea surface from the sky, including a light-transmitting portion that is provided with a light source and that radiates a plurality of slit-like beams from the sky toward a search area at the sea surface, a light-receiving portion that receives a plurality of reflected beams that have been reflected at an object at the sea surface, and a processor that determines whether or not the object at the sea surface that has reflected the beams is a target object from information about the reflected beams obtained by the light-receiving portion.

Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a photoelectric-conversion-device capable of controlling the groove depth of a processed groove to a desired value. The method for manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device (10) includes a groove forming step of irradiating an intermediate-contact-layer separating groove (15) constituting a photoelectric conversion device (10) with a picosecond laser and of moving the picosecond laser relative to the intermediate-contact-layer separating groove (93), thereby forming a processed groove (15) in a predetermined scanning direction. In the groove forming step, interference fringes arranged in parallel in one direction are formed in an irradiated area corresponding to a beam diameter of the picosecond laser, and the picosecond laser is relatively moved such that the interference fringes are joined in the scanning direction.

Abstract: Provided is a method for fabricating a photoelectric conversion device in which current is prevented as much as possible from leaking via an intermediate contact layer separating groove. The method includes: a process of forming a top layer mainly containing amorphous silicon; a process of forming on the top layer an intermediate contact layer electrically and optically connected to the top layer; a process of removing the intermediate contact layer through irradiation with a pulsed laser and forming an intermediate contact layer separating groove that reaches the top layer to separate the intermediate contact layer; and a process of forming, on the intermediate contact layer and in the intermediate contact layer separating groove, a bottom layer that mainly contains microcrystalline silicon and that is electrically and optically connected to the intermediate contact layer. The intermediate contact layer separating groove is terminated in an i-layer of the top layer.

Abstract: Provided is a photoelectric conversion device fabrication method in which current leakage from an intermediate contact layer via an intermediate-contact-layer separating groove is prevented as much as possible. Included are a step of film-forming a top layer having amorphous silicon as a main component; a step of film-forming, on the top layer, an intermediate contact layer electrically and optically connected thereto; a step of separating the intermediate contact layer by removing the intermediate contact layer by irradiating it with a pulsed laser, forming an intermediate-contact-layer separating groove that reaches the top layer; and a step of film-forming, on the intermediate contact layer and inside the intermediate-contact-layer separating groove, a bottom layer electrically and optically connected thereto and having microcrystalline silicon as a main component. A pulsed laser having a pulse width of 10 ps to 750 ps, inclusive, is used as the pulsed laser for separating the intermediate contact layer.