Photoelectric conversion device

Claim 1

A photoelectric conversion device comprising: a substrate having an insulating surface; and a plurality n (n being an integer larger than one) of semiconductor elements U 1 to U n sequentially formed thereon side by side and connected in series one after another; wherein the semiconductor element U i (i=1, 2, ... n) has a first electrode E i formed on the substrate, a non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member Q i formed on the first electrode E i and having formed therein at least one semiconductor junction, and a second electrode F i formed on the non-single-crystal-semiconductor laminate member Q i in opposing relation to the first electrode E i ; wherein the second electrode F j+1 (j=1, 2, ... (n-1)) of the semiconductor element U j+1 is coupled with the first electrode E j of the semiconductor element U j through a coupling portion K j formed by an extension of the second electrode F j+1 ; wherein the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member Q i has (a) a first non-single-crystal semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type and making contact with the first electrode E i , and a second non-single-crystal semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type reverse from the first conductivity type and making contact with the second electrode F i ; wherein the first electrode E i is formed by a first layered member having a conductive first metal oxide layer; wherein the second electrode F i and the coupling portion K j are formed by a second layered member having a conductive second metal oxide layer; wherein the first metal oxide layer of the first electrode E i is formed of indium oxide or a material consisting principally thereof, or tin oxide or a material consisting principally thereof depending upon whether the first conductivity type of the first non-single-crystal semiconductor layer is the N or P conductivity type, respectively, and the first metal oxide layer is in contact with the first non-single-crystal semiconductor layer; wherein said second metal oxide layer of said second electrode F i and the coupling portion K j are formed of tin oxide or a material consisting principally thereof, or indium oxide or a material consisting principally thereof, depending upon whether the second conductivity type of the second non-single-crystal semiconductor layer is the P or N conductivity type, respectively, the second metal oxide layer of the second electrode F i being in contact with the second non-single-crystal semiconductor layer and the coupling portion K j being coupled with the first metal oxide layer of the first electrode E j .