Abstract: In a photovoltaic cell composed of a photovoltaic element and a coating film provided thereon, the photovoltaic element has an electrode portion or portions having a thickness larger than the average thickness of the coating film, and in addition, the thickness of the coating film which is in contact with the electrode portion or portions is equal to or smaller than the average thickness described above.

Abstract: A retaining substrate for mounting a semiconductor element thereon, having a circuit pattern for said semiconductor element, characterized in that said substrate comprises an insulative material, said substrate has a surface configuration having a cross section comprising (a) an uneven shaped portion and (b) a concave shaped portion which are arranged in tandem wherein a surface of said uneven shaped portion (a) makes a bottom face of said concave portion (b), and said uneven shaped portion (a) has a structure in that (a-i) an insulative convex shaped portion and (a-ii) an insulative concave shaped portion are alternately arranged so as to neighbor with each other, and said circuit pattern is provided in said concave shaped portion (a-ii) of said uneven shaped portion (a).

Abstract: A photovoltaic element having a wire disposed on a surface of the photovoltaic element for outputting a power generated by the photovoltaic element, and an electrode electrically joined with the wire while forming a joining portion, wherein the joining portion of the wire and the electrode has at least a first joining portion and a second joining portion which is adjacent to the first joining portion, and the second joining portion has an elasticity which is greater than that of the first joining portion. A process for the production of the photovoltaic element. A method for forming an electrical continuity between a covered wire and a conductor, including a method of removing a cover portion of the covered wire and a method of joining the covered wire with the conductor.

Abstract: Before electrically connecting at least two photovoltaic elements, a medium capable of absorbing at least 10% or more of a light having a wavelength of 0.4 &mgr;m to 2.0 &mgr;m is provided on an electric connection portion of the photovoltaic element, whereby the present invention provides a method of electrically connecting a group of photovoltaic elements to one another with a high yield and easy automatization.

Abstract: A retaining substrate for mounting a semiconductor element thereon, having a circuit pattern for said semiconductor element, characterized in that said substrate comprises an insulative material, said substrate has a surface configuration having a cross section comprising (a) an uneven shaped portion and (b) a concave shaped portion which are arranged in tandem wherein a surface of said uneven shaped portion (a) makes a bottom face of said concave portion (b), and said uneven shaped portion (a) has a structure in that (a-i) an insulative convex shaped portion and (a-ii) an insulative concave shaped portion are alternately arranged so as to neighbor with each other, and said circuit pattern is provided in said concave shaped portion (a-ii) of said uneven shaped portion (a).

Abstract: In a photovoltaic device module comprising a plurality of photovoltaic devices connected electrically through a metal member, an insulating member is so provided as to avoid contact between an edge portion of the photovoltaic device and the metal member. This can provide a photovoltaic device module which is inexpensive, easy to operate and highly reliable.

Abstract: A mounting structure in which a photovoltaic element is mounted together with a metal body for outputting a power generated by said photovoltaic element to the outside, said photovoltaic element having a light receiving face and a non-light receiving face and having a pair of electrodes on said non-light receiving faces said metal body having a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface, wherein said photovoltaic element is joined to said first surface of said metal body and an electrically insulative joining material is joined to said second surface of said metal body.

Abstract: Before electrically connecting at least two photovoltaic elements, a medium capable of absorbing at least 10% or more of a light having a wavelength of 0.4 &mgr;m to 2.0 &mgr;m is provided on an electric connection portion of the photovoltaic element, whereby the present invention provides a method of electrically connecting a group of photovoltaic elements to one another with a high yield and easy automatization.

Abstract: A moldless semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor chip held between outer-connecting terminals and connected electrically to the terminals is provided. At least one of the two terminals has, at its region contiguous to the semiconductor chip or at its region contiguous to the semiconductor chip and a region vicinal thereto, a hardness different from all other regions of the one terminal. This moldless semiconductor device can withstand significant external force and exhibits high reliability when used in photovoltaic device modules.

Abstract: Before electrically connecting at least two photovoltaic elements, a medium capable of absorbing at least 10% or more of a light having a wavelength of 0.4 &mgr;m to 2.0 &mgr;m is provided on an electric connection portion of the photovoltaic element, whereby the present invention provides a method of electrically connecting a group of photovoltaic elements to one another with a high yield and easy automatization.

Abstract: Before electrically connecting at least two photovoltaic elements, a medium capable of absorbing at least 10% or more of a light having a wavelength of 0.4 &mgr;m to 2.0 &mgr;m is provided on an electric connection portion of the photovoltaic element, whereby the present invention provides a method of electrically connecting a group of photovoltaic elements to one another with a high yield and easy automatization.

Abstract: By inspecting an electrical wiring route of a solar cell module while applying a load to the solar cell module, it is possible to more accurately judge the presence or absence of a defect in the electrical wiring route of the solar cell module.

Abstract: A process for producing a solar cell module comprising at least a photovoltaic element module is provided. The photovoltaic element module is formed by electrically connecting a plurality of photovoltaic elements with each other, after the individual photovoltaic elements are identified or classified into a plurality of groups which are different from each other in property and attribute. The photovoltaic element module is formed such that at least two kinds of photovoltaic elements having different property and attribute co-exist therein. A solar cell module having at least a photovoltaic element module comprising a plurality of photovoltaic elements electrically connected with each other is also provided; the plurality of photovoltaic elements comprises photovoltaic elements identified or classified into at least two kinds which are different in terms of property and attribute.

Abstract: In a photovoltaic device module comprising a plurality of photovoltaic devices connected electrically through a metal member, an insulating member is so provided as to avoid contact between an edge portion of the photovoltaic device and the metal member. This can provide a photovoltaic device module which is inexpensive, easy to operate and highly reliable.

Abstract: A photovoltaic element with a low shadow, a high energy conversion efficiency, a high freedom in dimension and a high reliability with prolonged use is provided. The photovoltaic element comprises a photovoltaic layer having a first semiconductor junction layer for generating an electromotive force, a current collecting electrode provided at the light incident side of the photovoltaic layer, and a bypass diode connected in parallel, wherein the bypass diode is provided under the current collecting electrode as a bypass diode layer having a second semiconductor junction layer other than the first semiconductor junction layer of the photovoltaic layer.

Abstract: A solar cell module or a solar cell module which is provided with a readable and writable memory medium capable of writing in a large quantity of information of said solar cell module and capable of reading out necessary information from said memory medium. A solar cell system comprising said solar cell module or said solar cell module string. A method for supervising said solar cell module or said solar cell module string.

Abstract: A solar cell module has a very agreeable appearance and can carry a large volume of information on the light receiving surface thereof. An information carrying body storing information (including, for example, the date, the process the rated values, the destination of shipment, I-V curve data and other data) for identifying the module is invisibly arranged on the light receiving surface side of the solar cell module (e.g., on the front surface sealing member or the front surface member of the photovoltaic elements).

Abstract: Laser light having a wavelength where a thin-film semiconductor layer can absorb the laser light is applied on the side of the thin-film semiconductor layer to join a semiconductor-holding member and a metal member by welding. Materials can be joined at a sufficiently high strength and with long term stability especially when a metal member of the same or different type is welded to a conductive substrate which is a part of a photovoltaic device.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device is provided which comprises at least one metal wire on a surface of a photovoltaic element for collecting the power generated by the photovoltaic element, the at least one metal wire being coated with an electroconductive adhesive over the entire length and fixed onto the photovoltaic element. The photovoltaic device is produced without applying and curing the electroconductive adhesive in the photovoltaic device production process at low cost with high reliability.

Abstract: A cleaning method whereby a cleaning liquid used for cleaning in one cleaning stage is mixed after the one cleaning stage with a cleaning liquid used for cleaning in a rear cleaning stage. The flow rate of the one cleaning stage being greater than that of the cleaning liquid used for cleaning in the rear cleaning stage.