Liquid phase growth method and liquid phase growth apparatus

Abstract

A liquid phase growth apparatus of a dipping system has a plurality of liquid phase growth chambers and liquid phase growth operations of semiconductors are carried out on a plurality of substrates in the growth chambers. Another liquid phase growth apparatus of the dipping system has a liquid phase growth chamber and an annealing chamber, and is constructed in such structure that liquid phase growth of a semiconductor on one substrate is carried out in the liquid phase growth chamber and that an annealing operation of another substrate different from the aforementioned substrate is carried out in the annealing chamber. Another liquid phase growth apparatus of the dipping system has a liquid phase growth chamber and an annealing chamber, and is constructed in such structure that a semiconductor material is dissolved into a solvent in the liquid phase growth chamber and that the annealing operation of a substrate is carried out in the annealing chamber. These provide the liquid phase growth apparatus for formation of semiconductor layer in the dipping system, suitably applicable to mass production of large-area devices such as solar cells. In addition, the liquid phase growth method is also provided.