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:
Jun. 04, 2002
Filed:
Jun. 15, 2000
Tadashi Hori, Nara, JP;
Shotaro Okabe, Nara, JP;
Akira Sakai, Kyoto, JP;
Yuzo Kohda, Kyotanabe, JP;
Takahiro Yajima, Kyoto, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A method for forming a non-single-crystal semiconductor thin film and a photovoltaic device using an apparatus, which has a film deposition chamber with a film-forming space surrounded by a film deposition chamber wall and a belt-like substrate. An external chamber surrounding the deposition chamber wall is provided in the apparatus. While the belt-like substrate is moved in a longitudinal direction, a film-forming gas is introduced through a gas supply device into the film-forming space and microwave energy is radiated from a microwave applicator into the film-forming space to induce a microwave plasma, and thereby form a non-single-crystal semiconductor thin film on a surface of the belt-like substrate. A cooling mechanism and a temperature-increasing mechanism covering a part of an outside surface of the deposition chamber wall provide temperature control.