Abstract: The present invention provides a thin film-forming method by which, even when a thin film containing a crystalline metal oxide as the main component is formed over a wide area within a short time utilizing a thermal decomposition method, the thickness of the thin film becomes relatively uniform. A thin film-forming method of the present invention includes forming a thin film using a raw material containing a chloride of a metal, and prior to the forming of the thin film, 1) disposing metal-containing particles on the substrate, or 2) forming, at a film deposition rate slower than a film deposition rate for the thin film, a metal-containing thin film on the substrate, and wherein, in the case of the step 2), the thin film containing the metal oxide as the main component is directly formed on the metal-containing thin film.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transparent substrate with a transparent conductive film that is thin but has a surface with concavities and convexities of increased height. A manufacturing method of the present invention includes a process of forming a transparent conductive film containing crystalline metal oxide as its main component on a transparent substrate by a pyrolytic oxidation method. In the method, a gaseous material containing a metal compound, an oxidizing material, and hydrogen chloride is supplied onto the transparent substrate. The process includes sequentially: a first step in which a mole ratio of the hydrogen chloride to the metal compound in the gaseous material is 0.5 to 5; and a second step in which the mole ratio is 2 to 10 and is higher than the mole ratio to be employed in the first step.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transparent substrate with a transparent conductive film that is thin but has a surface with concavities and convexities of increased height. A manufacturing method of the present invention includes a process of forming a transparent conductive film containing crystalline metal oxide as its main component on a transparent substrate by a pyrolytic oxidation method. In the method, a gaseous material containing a metal compound, an oxidizing material, and hydrogen chloride is supplied onto the transparent substrate. The process includes sequentially: a first step in which a mole ratio of the hydrogen chloride to the metal compound in the gaseous material is 0.5 to 5; and a second step in which the mole ratio is 2 to 10 and is higher than the mole ratio to be employed in the first step.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transparent substrate with a transparent conductive film that is thin but has a surface with concavities and convexities of increased height. A manufacturing method of the present invention includes a process of forming a transparent conductive film containing crystalline metal oxide as its main component on a transparent substrate by a pyrolytic oxidation method. In the method, a gaseous material containing a metal compound, an oxidizing material, and hydrogen chloride is supplied onto the transparent substrate. The process includes sequentially: a first step in which a mole ratio of the hydrogen chloride to the metal compound in the gaseous material is 0.5 to 5; and a second step in which the mole ratio is 2 to 10 and is higher than the mole ratio to be employed in the first step.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transparent conductive substrate having optical transparency and conductivity that have been improved in a well-balanced manner. The transparent conductive substrate of the present invention includes a transparent base and a conductive metal oxide film formed on the base. This metal oxide film contains tin and fluorine. In a profile of the metal oxide film determined in the depth direction by SIMS, the value obtained by subtracting the minimum Imin of the ratio of sensitivity of the fluorine to that of the tin from the maximum Imax thereof is at least 0.15. The maximum Imax is higher than 1 while the minimum Imin is lower than 1. Furthermore, the position where the maximum Imax is obtained is closer to the surface of the metal oxide film as compared to the position where the minimum Imin is obtained.

Abstract: A transparent conductive film wherein the height number distribution of projections present on the surface is expressed by a distribution function of ?2 type having a degree of freedom of 3.5 to 15 when the unit of the horizontal axis is a nanometer, the height/width ratio number distribution is expressed by a distribution function of ?2 type having a degree of freedom of 10-35?2, the projections having a height of 50-350 nm account for 70% of more, and the projections having a height/width ratio of 0.25-1.02 account for 90% or more.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming a thin film containing a metal oxide as the main component, the film thickness of which is relatively uniform, at a high film deposition rate over a wide area and over a long time. The present invention is a method for forming a thin film containing a metal oxide as the main component on a substrate using a mixed gas stream containing a metal chloride, an oxidizing material, and hydrogen chloride, by a thermal decomposition method at a film deposition rate of 4500 nm/min. or greater, performing at least one selected from: 1) prior to mixing the metal chloride and the oxidizing material in the mixed gas stream, contacting hydrogen chloride with at least one selected from the metal chloride and the oxidizing material, and 2) forming a buffer layer in advance on a surface of the substrate on which the thin film containing a metal oxide as the main component is to be formed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming a thin film containing a metal oxide as the main component, the film thickness of which is relatively uniform, at a high film deposition rate over a wide area and over a long time. The present invention is a method for forming a thin film containing a metal oxide as the main component on a substrate using a mixed gas stream containing a metal chloride, an oxidizing material, and hydrogen chloride, by a thermal decomposition method at a film deposition rate of 4500 nm/min. or greater, performing at least one selected from: 1) prior to mixing the metal chloride and the oxidizing material in the mixed gas stream, contacting hydrogen chloride with at least one selected from the metal chloride and the oxidizing material, and 2) forming a buffer layer in advance on a surface of the substrate on which the thin film containing a metal oxide as the main component is to be formed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transparent substrate with a transparent conductive film that is thin but has a surface with concavities and convexities of increased height. A manufacturing method of the present invention includes a process of forming a transparent conductive film containing crystalline metal oxide as its main component on a transparent substrate by a pyrolytic oxidation method. In the method, a gaseous material containing a metal compound, an oxidizing material, and hydrogen chloride is supplied onto the transparent substrate. The process includes sequentially: a first step in which a mole ratio of the hydrogen chloride to the metal compound in the gaseous material is 0.5 to 5; and a second step in which the mole ratio is 2 to 10 and is higher than the mole ratio to be employed in the first step.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transparent conductive substrate having optical transparency and conductivity that have been improved in a well-balanced manner. The transparent conductive substrate of the present invention includes a transparent base and a conductive metal oxide film formed on the base. This metal oxide film contains tin and fluorine. In a profile of the metal oxide film determined in the depth direction by SIMS, the value obtained by subtracting the minimum Imin of the ratio of sensitivity of the fluorine to that of the tin from the maximum Imax thereof is at least 0.15. The maximum Imax is higher than 1 while the minimum Imin is lower than 1. Furthermore, the position where the maximum Imax is obtained is closer to the surface of the metal oxide film as compared to the position where the minimum Imin is obtained.

Abstract: A transparent conductive film wherein the height number distribution of projections present on the surface is expressed by a distribution function of X2 type having a degree of freedom of 3.5 to 15 when the unit of the horizontal axis is a nanometer, the height/width ratio number distribution is expressed by a distribution function of X2 type having a degree of freedom of 10-35X2, the projections having a height of 50-350 nm account for 70% of more, and the projections having a height/width ratio of 0.25-1.02 account for 90% or more.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming a thin film containing a metal oxide as the main component, the film thickness of which is relatively uniform, at a high film deposition rate over a wide area and over a long time. The present invention is a method for forming a thin film containing a metal oxide as the main component on a substrate using a mixed gas stream containing a metal chloride, an oxidizing material, and hydrogen chloride, by a thermal decomposition method at a film deposition rate of 4500 nm/min. or greater, performing at least one selected from: 1) prior to mixing the metal chloride and the oxidizing material in the mixed gas stream, contacting hydrogen chloride with at least one selected from the metal chloride and the oxidizing material, and 2) forming a buffer layer in advance on a surface of the substrate on which the thin film containing a metal oxide as the main component is to be formed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thin film-forming method by which, even when a thin film containing a crystalline metal oxide as the main component is formed over a wide area within a short time utilizing a thermal decomposition method, the thickness of the thin film becomes relatively uniform. A thin film-forming method of the present invention includes forming a thin film using a raw material containing a chloride of a metal, and prior to the forming of the thin film, 1) disposing metal-containing particles on the substrate, or 2) forming, at a film deposition rate slower than a film deposition rate for the thin film, a metal-containing thin film on the substrate, and wherein, in the case of the step 2), the thin film containing the metal oxide as the main component is directly formed on the metal-containing thin film.

Abstract: A transparent conductive film wherein the height number distribution of projections present on the surface is expressed by a distribution function of ?2 type having a degree of freedom of 3.5 to 15 when the unit of the horizontal axis is a nanometer, the height/width ratio number distribution is expressed by a distribution function of ?2 type having a degree of freedom of 10-35?2, the projections having a height of 50-350 nm account for 70% of more, and the projections having a height/width ratio of 0.25-1.02 account for 90% or more.

Abstract: The present invention provides a substrate for a photoelectric conversion device contributing to enhance further the effect of trapping light into a photoelectric conversion layer. The substrate includes a first undercoating film containing at least one selected from tin oxide, titanium oxide, indium oxide and zinc oxide as a main component, a second undercoating film and a conductive film formed in this order on a glass sheet containing an alkali component. Concavities are formed in the surface of the second undercoating film, and the area ratio of the concavities is in the range of 20% to 50%.

Abstract: A conductive film which is formed on a substrate, wherein a total of areas of the base surfaces of protrusions at least 250 nm in height is at least 5% of the area of a surface on which this conductive film is formed. The conductive film mainly contains at least one kind of compound out of tin oxide, titanium oxide, indium oxide and zinc oxide, and is formed on a transparent substrate by a chemical vapor deposition using an oxygen atom-containing material as vapor. A photoelectric conversion device is formed by a conductive film-carrying substrate and at least one photoelectric conversion layer disposed on the substrate and containing a crystalline silicon thin film 1-5 &mgr;m in thickness.

Abstract: On a glass sheet, undercoating layers and a transparent conductive film containing tin oxide as the main component are formed in this order. The surface of the transparent conductive film is provided with roughness including convex portions and concave portions. The convex portions have a mean diameter in a range between 0.05 &mgr;m and 0.3 &mgr;m and include five convex portions or less with diameters of at least 0.5 &mgr;m per 100 &mgr;m2 of the surface. On the transparent conductive film, a photovoltaic unit and a back electrode are formed, thus obtaining a photoelectric conversion device.

Abstract: A low emissivity (low-E) glass and glass articles made of the low emissivity glass are provided, which permit controlling the solar heat shading property within a certain range without spoiling the transparency and heat insulating property thereof, to thereby realize a comfortable living condition in a wide region of the world or in a wide location of installment. A plurality of metallic oxide based films comprising metallic oxide are laminated on the surface of a glass substrate. The metallic oxide based films include a tin oxide based film containing antimony (SnSbOx film), and a tin oxide based film containing fluorine (SnO2:F film), and further may include a tin oxide based film consisting essentially of tin oxide, and a silicon oxide based film. The SnSbOx film contains antimony in an amount of 0.01 to 0.2 in terms of mole ratio relative to an amount of tin (=Sb mol/Sn mol), to avoid an excessive decrease in visible light transmittance.

Abstract: In an optical reflector and a manufacturing method thereof, the reflector is superior in durability and has a high reflectivity to visible light, but not being conspicuous in color tone of reflection. The optical reflector comprises a glass substrate, on which are piled up a film of refractive index n1, a film of refractive index n2, a film of refractive index n3, and a film of refractive index n4, sequentially, wherein the thickness of the films are adjusted so that a relationship, n1≧n4>n3>n2, is established among those refractive indices n1, n2, n3 and n4. The film of refractive index n2 is from 30 nm to 60 nm in the film thickness, a reflectivity to visible light is equal to or greater than 75% upon the surface of the film of refractive index n4, and the value {(a*)2+(b*)2}½ is from 0 to 10 when representing the color tone of reflected light upon this film by a* and b* (psychometric chroma coordinates).

Abstract: A transparent substrate, a transparent conductive film, photoelectric conversion units, and a back electrode are stacked sequentially from a side on which light is incident. Further, intermediate films are formed between the transparent substrate and the transparent conductive film. The intermediate films are formed so that the relationship of R1<R2×0.8 is satisfied, wherein R1 represents an average reflectance in a wavelength region between (&lgr;−50) nm and (&lgr;+50) nm, where &lgr; (nm) represents a wavelength of the light allowing the photoelectric conversion units to have an optimal spectral sensitivity characteristic, and R2 denotes an average reflectance, in the wavelength region, of the photoelectric conversion device that does not include the intermediate film. In a tandem-type device including plural photoelectric conversion units, intermediate films are formed so that the average reflectance in the wavelength range is decreased in each photoelectric conversion unit.