The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 08, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 23, 1998
Tomonori Nishimoto, Tsukuba, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Provided is a method of forming a microcrystalline silicon film by a plasma CVD, which comprises introducing a high frequency electromagnetic wave into a film forming space through an electrode to induce a plasma thereby forming a deposited film on a substrate, wherein the relation of 400<Q<10000 is satisfied when Q is defined as Q=P.multidot.f.sup.2 /d where d (cm) is the distance between the substrate and the electrode, P (Torr) is the pressure of the film forming space during formation of the deposited film, and f (MHz) is the frequency of the high frequency electromagnetic wave-forming method of microcrystalline silicon film for forming a microcrystalline silicon film by plasma CVD, wherein Q defined as Q=P.multidot.f.sup.2 /d satisfies the relational formula of 400<Q<10000 where d (cm) is a distance between a substrate on which a deposited film is to be formed, and an electrode to which a high frequency electromagnetic wave for inducing a plasma is guided, P (Torr) is a pressure during formation of the deposited film, and f (MHz) is a frequency of the high frequency electromagnetic wave. This can provide a method of forming the microcrystalline silicon film suitable for the i-type layer of the pin type solar cell at a high rate, notwithstanding using a low-temperature process, without using a high-temperature process.