Abstract: A method includes arranging a first bonding layer on a first functional region on a first substrate, or a region on a second substrate, bonding the first functional region to the second substrate through the first bonding layer, subjecting a first release layer to a first process to separate the first substrate from the first functional region at the first release layer, arranging a second bonding layer on a second functional region on the first substrate, or a region on a third substrate, bonding the second functional region to the second or third substrate through the second bonding layer, and subjecting a second release layer to a second process to separate the first substrate from the second functional region at the second release layer.

Abstract: A method includes arranging a bonding layer of a predetermined thickness on at least one of a first functional region bonded on a release layer, which is capable of falling into a releasable condition when subjected to a process, on a first substrate, and a region, to which the first functional region is to be transferred, on a second substrate; bonding the first functional region to the second substrate through the bonding layer; and separating the first substrate from the first functional region at the release layer.

Abstract: Provided is a deposited film containing microcrystalline silicon by plasma CVD, which includes changing at least one of conditions selected from a high frequency power density, a bias voltage with respect to an interelectrode distance, a bias current with respect to an electrode area, a high frequency power with respect to a source gas flow rate, a ratio of a diluting gas flow rate to a source gas flow rate, a substrate temperature, a pressure, and an interelectrode distance, between conditions for forming a deposited film of a microcrystalline region and conditions for forming a deposited film of an amorphous region; and forming a deposited film under conditions within a predetermined range in the vicinity of boundary conditions under which the crystal system of the deposited film substantially changes between a amorphous state and a microcrystalline state.

Abstract: Provided is a sensor including a movably supported movable element and an opposing member. The sensor detects a relative positional relationship between the movable element and the opposing member which are provided with a spacing therebetween The opposing member has an impurity-doped portion which is provided to one of an opposing portion which is opposed to the movable element and an adjoining portion which adjoins the opposing portion. At least a part of the impurity-doped portion is formed on an opposite surface opposite to a surface which is opposed to the movable element, from which opposite surface an electrical wiring is led out.

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 semiconductor device including a semiconductor layer, formed of a silicon-based deposited film containing crystals by plasma-enhanced CVD, includes the steps of applying a bias voltage between a high-frequency electrode and a substrate with the high-frequency electrode being negative when the semiconductor layer is formed; detecting sparks occurring on the high-frequency electrode or the substrate; and controlling at least one condition, selected from the group consisting of high-frequency power, bias voltage, bias current, pressure, gas flow rate, and interelectrode distance, based on the results of the detection so that the number of sparks with durations of 100 ms or more is 1 or less sparks per minute.

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: A method for forming a semiconductor device including a semiconductor layer, formed of a silicon-based deposited film containing crystals by plasma-enhanced CVD, includes the steps of applying a bias voltage between a high-frequency electrode and a substrate with the high-frequency electrode being negative when the semiconductor layer is formed; detecting sparks occurring on the high-frequency electrode or the substrate; and controlling at least one condition, selected from the group consisting of high-frequency power, bias voltage, bias current, pressure, gas flow rate, and interelectrode distance, based on the results of the detection so that the number of sparks with durations of 100 ms or more is 1 or less sparks per minute.

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: Provided is a deposited film containing microcrystalline silicon by plasma CVD, which includes changing at least one of conditions selected from a high frequency power density, a bias voltage with respect to an interelectrode distance, a bias current with respect to an electrode area, a high frequency power with respect to a source gas flow rate, a ratio of a diluting gas flow rate to a source gas flow rate, a substrate temperature, a pressure, and an interelectrode distance, between conditions for forming a deposited film of a microcrystalline region and conditions for forming a deposited film of an amorphous region; and forming a deposited film under conditions within a predetermined range in the vicinity of boundary conditions under which the crystal system of the deposited film substantially changes between a amorphous state and a microcrystalline state.

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 plating apparatus includes a plating vessel for holding a plating bath containing at least metal ions, a conveying device for conveying a long conductive substrate and immersing the long conductive substrate in the plating bath, a facing electrode disposed in the plating bath so as to face one surface of the conductive substrate, a voltage application device for performing plating on the one surface of the conductive substrate by applying a voltage between the conductive substrate and the facing electrode, and a film-deposition suppression device fixedly disposed in the plating vessel so that at least a portion of the film-deposition suppression means is close to shorter-direction edges of the conductive substrate. At least a portion of the film-deposition suppression device close to the shorter-direction edges of the conductive substrate is conductive.

Abstract: A liquid-phase growth method for immersing a polycrystalline substrate in a melt in a crucible wherein crystal ingredients are dissolved, thereby growing poly crystals upon the substrate, comprises a first step for growing poly crystals to a predetermined thickness, and a second step for melting back a part of the poly crystals grown in the first step in the melt, wherein the relative position between the substrate and melt is changed between the first step and second step, bringing melt with different temperature into contact with the polycrystalline surface. The obtained poly crystals have properties rivaling those of poly crystals used in conventional solar cells but with little risk of trouble such as line breakage of grid electrodes in application to solar cells, and can be obtained in great quantities at low costs.

Abstract: In a process for forming on a substrate a transparent conductive film having crystallizability, the process comprises a first step of forming a film at a first film formation rate and a second step of forming a film at a second film formation rate, and the relationship between film formation rates in the respective steps satisfies: 2?(second film formation rate)/(first film formation rate)?100; which provides a process for producing a transparent conductive film by a deposition process advantageous for cost reduction, which can form in a short time a transparent conductive film having an uneven surface profile with a high light-confining effect, and can bring about an improvement in photovoltaic performance and enjoy a high mass productivity when applied to the formation of multi-layer structure of photovoltaic devices.

Abstract: There are provided techniques of forming a back reflecting layer with constant characteristics throughout long-term film formation and forming a metal oxide film so as to be able to maintain a current of a bottom cell and thereby keep a short-circuit current Jsc of a solar cell constant over a long period of time. A sputtering method is a method of forming a stack of a metal film and a metal oxide film, comprising the step 1 of forming a metal layer on a substrate, the step 2 of bringing a surface of the metal layer into contact with active oxygen, and the step 3 of forming a metal oxide film thereon after the step 2, wherein in the step 2 an amount of active oxygen at a first substrate position is different from that at a second substrate position.