Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes at least a first electrode, a first-conductivity-type layer composed of non-single-crystalline silicon, a second-conductivity-type layer composed of polycrystalline silicon, a third-conductivity-type layer composed of non-single-crystalline silicon, and a second electrode, wherein the contact surface of the first electrode with respect to the first-conductivity-type layer has a shape interspersed with a plurality of projections, and the lower limit and the upper limit of the density of the projections interspersed on the surface of the first electrode satisfy the following equations, provided that the thickness of the second-conductivity-type layer is t ?m: Lower limit=0.312 exp(?0.60t) pieces/?m2 Upper limit=0.387 exp(?0.39t) pieces/?m2.

Abstract: To provide a stacked photovoltaic device including: at least one pair of a first photovoltaic device and a second photovoltaic device stacked in order from a light incident side; and a selective reflection layer formed between the at least one pair of the first photovoltaic device and the second photovoltaic device and adapted to electrically connect therebetween, in which the selective reflection layer has a sheet resistance of 100 k?/? or more and 100 M?/? or less.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes at least a first electrode, a first-conductivity-type layer composed of non-single-crystalline silicon, a second-conductivity-type layer composed of polycrystalline silicon, a third-conductivity-type layer composed of non-single-crystalline silicon, and a second electrode, wherein the contact surface of the first electrode with respect to the first-conductivity-type layer has a shape interspersed with a plurality of projections, and the lower limit and the upper limit of the density of the projections interspersed on the surface of the first electrode satisfy the following equations, provided that the thickness of the second-conductivity-type layer is t ?m: Lower limit=0.312 exp(?0.60t) pieces/?m2 Upper limit=0.387 exp(?0.

Abstract: To provide a stacked photovoltaic device including: at least one pair of a first photovoltaic device and a second photovoltaic device stacked in order from a light incident side; and a selective reflection layer formed between the at least one pair of the first photovoltaic device and the second photovoltaic device and adapted to electrically connect therebetween, in which the selective reflection layer has a sheet resistance of 100 k&OHgr;/□ or more and 100 M&OHgr;/□ or less.

Abstract: A stacked photovoltaic element contains a structure formed by sequentially arranging a metal layer, a lower transparent conductive layer, a first n-layer of non-single-crystal silicon, a first i-layer of microcrystal silicon, a first p-layer of non-single-crystal silicon, a second n-layer of non-single-crystal silicon, a second i-layer of microcrystal silicon and a second p-layer of non-single-crystal silicon on a support body. The first i-layer and the second i-layer are made to contain phosphor and the content ratio R1 of phosphor to silicon of the first i-layer and the content ratio R2 of phosphor to silicon of the second i-layer are defined by the formula of R2<R1. With this arrangement, photovoltaic elements showing a high conversion efficiency can be manufactured with a high yield factor.

Abstract: A photovoltaic element having a stacked structure comprising a first semiconductor layer containing no crystalline phase, a second semiconductor layer containing approximately spherical microcrystalline phases, and a third semiconductor layer containing pillar microcrystalline phases which are stacked in this order, wherein said spherical microcrystalline phases of said second semiconductor layer on the side of said third semiconductor layer have an average size which is greater than that of said spherical microcrystalline phases of said second semiconductor layer on the side of said first semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A photovoltaic element comprising a p-type semiconductor layer and a transparent conductive layer comprised of indium tin oxide bonded to each other at a surface is provided. The sum of tin oxide content and tin content of the transparent conductive layer varies in the layer thickness direction and is lowest at the bonding surface of the p-type semiconductor layer and the transparent conductive layer. Thus provided is a photovoltaic element which has a high photoelectric conversion efficiency with decreased reduction even when exposed to an intense light for a long period.

Abstract: Provided is a photovoltaic element comprising a p-type semiconductor layer and a transparent conductive layer comprised of indium tin oxide bonded to each other at a surface, wherein the sum of tin oxide content and tin content of the transparent conductive layer varies in the layer thickness direction and is minimum at the bonding surface of the p-type semiconductor layer and the transparent conductive layer. Thus provided is a photovoltaic element which has a high photoelectric conversion efficiency with less lowering even when exposed to an intense light for a long term.

Abstract: A photovoltaic element having a stacked structure comprising a first semiconductor layer containing no crystalline phase, a second semiconductor layer containing approximately spherical microcrystalline phases, and a third semiconductor layer containing pillar microcrystalline phases which are stacked in this order, wherein said spherical microcrystalline phases of said second semiconductor layer on the side of said third semiconductor layer have an average size which is greater than that of said spherical microcrystalline phases of said second semiconductor layer on the side of said first semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A photoconductive thin film formed on a substrate and having at least hydrogen and crystal grains of silicon, which film has an Urbach energy Eu of 60 meV or below as measured by the constant photocurrent method. This film provides a photoconductive thin film free of light degradation and having superior photoconductivity, and provides a photovoltaic device having superior temperature characteristics and long-term stability.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element has a substrate, a lower conductive layer, a first doped layer, an i-layer, a second doped layer, and an upper conductive layer, wherein a surface of the lower conductive layer has an uneven configuration, the i-layer contains prismatic crystalline grains, and longitudinal directions of the prismatic crystalline grains are inclined with respect to a direction of a normal line to the substrate. A percentage of an overall volume of prismatic crystalline grains, each having an angle, defined below, of 20° or less, is 70% or more with respect to an overall volume of the i-layer; the angle is defined as an angle between a straight line passing a prismatic crystalline grain and being parallel to the longitudinal direction thereof and a straight line passing the prismatic crystalline grain out of straight lines taking shortest courses between the interface between the first doped layer and the i-layer and the interface between the second doped layer and the i-layer.

Abstract: A photovoltaic element having a specific transparent and electrically conductive layer on a back reflecting layer, said transparent and electrically conductive layer comprising a zinc oxide material and having a light incident side surface region with a cross section having a plurality of arcs arranged while in contacted with each other, said arcs having a radius of curvature in the range of 300 .ANG. to 6 .mu.m and an angle of elevation from the center of the curvature in the range of 30 to 155.degree., and said cross section containing regions comprising said plurality of arcs at a proportion of 80% or more, compared to the entire region of the cross section.

Abstract: A photo-electricity generating device is produced through the steps of: immersing an electrode and an electroconductive substrate in an aqueous solution comprising nitrate ions and zinc ions, supplying a current passing through a gap between the electrode and the electroconductive substrate to form a first zinc oxide layer on the electroconductive substrate, etching the first zinc oxide layer, and forming a semiconductor layer on the zinc oxide layer. The zinc oxide layer may preferably be formed in two zinc oxide layers under different electrudeposition conditions. In this case, the etching step may preferably be performed between steps for forming these zinc oxide layers. The zinc oxide layer is provided with an unevenness at its surface suitable for constituting a light-confining layer of a resultant photo-electricity generating device.

Abstract: A photovoltaic element is formed by providing a substrate under vacuum; introducing a sputter gas and applying RF power to generate a plasma and provide a photovoltaic element having a substrate, a zinc oxide layer containing fluorine on the substrate, wherein a fluorine-containing zinc oxide layer is employed as a target.

Abstract: A photovoltaic element has a substrate with a conductive surface, a zinc oxide layer containing fluorine and a non-single-crystal semiconductor layer, where the fluorine content of the zinc oxide layer (i) varies across the thickness of the layer, (ii) is at a minimum at the interface with the substrate and (iii) increases toward the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A microwave plasma CVD method for continuously forming a large area and length functional deposited film, the method comprises: continuously moving a substrate web in the longitudinal direction by paying out it by a pay-out mechanism and taking up it by a take-up mechanism; establishing a substantially enclosed film-forming chamber by curving and projecting said moving substrate web to form a columnar portion to be the circumferential wall of said film forming chamber on the way moving from said pay-out mechanism toward said take-up mechanism; introducing a film-forming raw material gas through a gas feed means into said film-forming chamber; at the same time, radiating a microwave energy in said film-forming chamber by using a microwave applicator means, which is so designed that it can radiate a microwave energy in the direction parallel to the microwave propagating direction, to generate microwave plasma in said film-forming chamber, whereby continuously forming a deposited film on the inner wall face of s

Abstract: A photovoltaic device has a semiconductor layer; electrodes and a surface protection layer adjacent to the light incident side. Granules of a material different from those of the surface protection layer are disposed in the surface protection layer. The granules in the surface protection layer have an average grain size of 0.001-20 microns, a surface density S from 0.2 to 0.9 and/or a density per volume from 0.001 to 0.5.To produce a surface protecting layer for a photovoltaic device in which the surface protecting layer has granules at a light incident side the surface of a photovoltaic device is painted with a liquid resin containing the granules.

Abstract: The present invention provides photoelectric conversion elements, wherein the long wavelength sensitivity, the fill factor, and the photoelectric conversion efficiency are improved. In order to provide photoelectric conversion elements wherein light deterioration is reduced, the field durability enhanced, and the temperature characteristic improved, a p-layer composed of amorphous silicon type semiconductor containing hydrogen, an i-layer composed of amorphous silicon-germanium type semiconductor containing hydrogen and further including microcrystalline germanium, and an n-layer composed of amorphous silicon type semiconductor containing hydrogen are laminated on a substrate, the i-layer being formed at a substrate temperature from 400.degree. to 600.degree. C. by microwave plasma CVD, the particle diameter of said microcrystalline germanium ranging from 50 to 500 angstroms. Also, the content of microcrystalline germanium varies in the layer thickness direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously forming a functional deposited film with a large area according to a microwave plasma CVD process is described. The apparatus comprises the elements of a continuous traveling band-shaped member containing a conductive member along its length during which a pillar-shaped film-forming space capable of being kept substantially in vacuum therein is established by the use of the traveling band-shaped member as a side wall for the film-forming space, charging starting gases for film formation through a gas feed means into the film-forming space, and simultaneously radiating a microwave through a microwave antenna in all directions vertical to the direction of movement of the microwave so that microwave power is supplied to the film-forming space to initiate a plasma in the space whereby the film is deposited on the surface of the continuously traveling band-shaped member which constitutes the side wall exposed to the plasma.

Abstract: A method of quickly depositing a non-single-crystal semiconductor film and forming a silicon-type non-single-crystal photovoltaic device, and a method of continuously manufacturing the photovoltaic devices. By this method the deposited film is formed by decomposing a raw material gas with microwave energy which is lower than the microwave energy required to completely decompose the raw material gas. RF energy is applied at the same time which is higher in energy than the microwave energy. The microwave energy acts on the raw material gas at an internal pressure level of 50 mTorr or lower to form a uniform non-single-crystal semiconductor film with excellent electrical characteristics and reduced light deterioration.