Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Yutaka Hirono

Seiichi Kiyama

Yasuaki Yamamoto

Hiroshi Hosokawa

Masato Osumi

Hideki Imai

The present invention relates to a novel dry-etching method for patterning a metallic film, whose surface is provided with an oxidized film, into an optional configuration by the use of the oxidized film. After drawing etching patterns of the metallic film by irradiating energy beam to the oxidized film formed on the surface of the metallic film, the dry-etching method according to the present invention causes the metallic film to expose itself to either radicals of reactive gas or to etching gas, and then selectively removes the area of metallic film in correspondence to the beam irradiated area of the oxidized film by applying chemical etching, thus eventually allowing the metallic film to be patterned into an optional configuration, without incuring physical damage to the etching face of the metallic film.

Dry-etching method

A metallic insulative substrate having its surface coated with an insulative layer, on which a large number of photoelectric converter elements are electrically connected to each other in series by connecting the first back electrode layer of one of photoelectric converter elements adjoining each other with the second back electrode layer of the other. Accordingly, electrical connection of these electrode layers in series does not affect the effective area used for photoelectric conversion. This constitution also improves heat resistance of the insulative substrate. Electrical contact of the transparent light-receiving electrode layer) and the second back electrode layer is achieved via contact holes each having a diameter identical to the diameter of those of the insulative and semiconductive layers. As a result, a sufficient insulative distance is provided between the transparent electrode layer and the first back electrode layer so that occurrence of accidental shortcircuit can be securely prevented.

Photovoltaic device

A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device, in which a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements comprising a first electrode layer, a semiconductive layer and a second electrode layer are laminatedly arranged on an insulative surface of a substrate and said photoelectric conversion elements are electrically connected in series with each other, comprising a step of dividedly arranging the first electrode layer on the surface of the substrate, a step of coating the semiconductive layer on the surface of the substrate including the upper surface of the divided first electrode layer, a step of coating the second electrode layer on the semiconductive layer, and a step of dividing the semiconductive layer and/or the second electrode layer in order to define each element by irradiating energy-beams on the semiconductive layer and/or the second electrode layer. The formation of a low resistance layer in the semiconductive layer and a residual molten second electrode layer can be prevented by using energy-beams having an energy-distribution substantially uniform over the entire irradiated zone. In addition, short-circuits between the adjacent photoelectric conversion elements can be prevented.

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Neyagawa, Japan

Yutaka Hirono