Abstract: According to the present invention, sufficient light trapping effect can be exhibited and series resistance can be kept small, by sequentially forming a silicon based low refractive index layer and a thin silicon based interface layer on a backside of a photoelectric conversion layer observed from a light incident side, and as a result a silicon based thin film solar cell may be provided efficiently and at low cost.

Abstract: An inexpensive substrate for thin film solar cells having improved performance of a thin film solar cell, and a manufacturing method thereof are provided by increasing light trapping effect due to effective increase in unevenness of a substrate for thin film solar cells. Furthermore, a thin film solar cell having improved performance using the substrate is provided. A substrate for thin film solar cells of the present invention has a transparent insulating substrate and a transparent electrode layer deposited thereon including at least zinc oxide (ZnO), the transparent insulating substrate has a fine surface unevenness having a root-mean-square deviation of the surface (RMS) 5 to 50 nm in an interface by a side of the transparent electrode layer, a projected area thereof consists of a curved surface, and furthermore a haze ratio or a ratio of a diffuse transmittance to a total transmittance as an index of unevenness of a substrate may be set at not less than 20% measured using a C light source.

Abstract: In a stacked-layer type photoelectric conversion device, a plurality of photoelectric conversion units are stacked on a substrate, each of which includes a one conductivity-type layer, a photoelectric conversion layer of substantially intrinsic semiconductor and an opposite conductivity-type layer in this order from a light-incident side. At least one of the opposite conductivity-type layer in a front photoelectric conversion unit arranged relatively closer to the light-incident side and the one conductivity-type layer in a back photoelectric conversion unit arranged adjacent to the front photoelectric conversion unit includes a silicon composite layer at least in a part thereof. The silicon composite layer has a thickness of more than 20 nm and less than 130 nm and an oxygen concentration of more than 25 atomic % and less than 60 atomic %, and includes silicon-rich phase parts in an amorphous alloy phase of silicon and oxygen.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate for a thin film photoelectric conversion device, in which its properties are not deteriorated when its surface unevenness is effectively increased, and then provide the thin film photoelectric conversion device having its performance improved by using the substrate. According to the present invention, by setting the surface area ratio of a transparent electrode layer in the substrate for the thin film photoelectric conversion device to at least 55% and at most 95%, the surface unevenness are effectively increased to increase the optical confinement effect, while deterioration in properties due to sharpening of the surface level variation is suppressed, whereby making it possible to provide a substrate for a thin film photoelectric conversion device, which can enhance output properties of the thin film photoelectric conversion device.

Abstract: An inexpensive substrate for thin film solar cells having improved performance of a thin film solar cell, and a manufacturing method thereof are provided by increasing light trapping effect due to effective increase in unevenness of a substrate for thin film solar cells. Furthermore, a thin film solar cell having improved performance using the substrate is provided. A substrate for thin film solar cells of the present invention has a transparent insulating substrate and a transparent electrode layer deposited thereon including at least zinc oxide (ZnO), the transparent insulating substrate has a fine surface unevenness having a root-mean-square deviation of the surface (RMS) 5 to 50 nm in an interface by a side of the transparent electrode layer, a projected area thereof consists of a curved surface, and furthermore a haze ratio or a ratio of a diffuse transmittance to a total transmittance as an index of unevenness of a substrate may be set at not less than 20% measured using a C light source.

Abstract: In a stacked-layer type photoelectric conversion device, a plurality of photoelectric conversion units are stacked on a substrate, each of which includes a one conductivity-type layer, a photoelectric conversion layer of substantially intrinsic semiconductor and an opposite conductivity-type layer in this order from a light-incident side. At least one of the opposite conductivity-type layer in a front photoelectric conversion unit arranged relatively closer to the light-incident side and the one conductivity-type layer in a back photoelectric conversion unit arranged adjacent to the front photoelectric conversion unit includes a silicon composite layer at least in a part thereof. The silicon composite layer has a thickness of more than 20 nm and less than 130 nm and an oxygen concentration of more than 25 atomic % and less than 60 atomic %, and includes silicon-rich phase parts in an amorphous alloy phase of silicon and oxygen.