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:
Apr. 08, 2003
Filed:
Nov. 23, 1999
Yuichi Sonoda, Nara, JP;
Kozo Arao, Cupertino, CA (US);
Noboru Toyama, Hirakata, JP;
Yusuke Miyamoto, Kyotanabe, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The method of the present invention is a method of producing a thin film of zinc oxide, which comprises immersing a counter electrode and a conductive substrate as a negative electrode in an aqueous solution containing nitrate ions and 0.05 mol/liter or more of zinc ions, and passing a current between the counter electrode and the conductive substrate to electrochemically deposit zinc oxide on the conductive substrate from the aqueous solution, thereby forming a thin film of zinc oxide, wherein a film forming rate of the thin film is varied at least one time midway during an electrolytic deposition reaction for forming the thin film. The present invention can provide the following meritorious advantages: it is possible to form a texture-structured thin film effective in optical confinement in a short time by using the above electrolytic deposition method advantageous for lowering a production cost, to prevent abnormal growth of a deposited film, to have a film surface excellent in uniformity and adhesion, and to improve photoelectric characteristics and promote mass productivity by applying the present invention to the stacked structure of a photovoltaic element.