Method of making photoelectric conversion device

Claim 1

A method of making a photoelectric conversion device, comprising the steps of: preparing a substrate formed by an insulating sheet-like member having a metallic sheet-like member and an insulating film having a thermal conductivity less than that of glass formed on the metallic sheet-like member; forming a first conductive layer on the insulating film of the substrate; forming n-1 (where n is an integer larger than 2) sequentially arranged first grooves G 1 to G n-1 in the first conductive layer by using a first laser beam to form n sequentially arranged first electrodes E 1 to E n separated by the first grooves G 1 to G n-1 , respectively; forming on the substrate a non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate layer having formed therein at least one semiconductor junction to cover the first grooves G 1 to G n-1 and the first electrodes E 1 to E n ; forming n-1 sequentially arranged second grooves O 1 to O n-1 in the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate layer by using a second laser beam to form n sequentially arranged non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate members Q 1 to Q n defined by the second grooves O 1 to O n-1 , respectively, thereby to expose portions of the respective first electrodes E 1 to E n-1 to the outside, where the grooves O 1 to O n-1 do not extend to the metallic sheet-like member of the substrate due to the low thermal conductivity of the insulating film; forming a second conductive layer which continuously extends on the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate members Q 1 to Q n and extends into the grooves O 1 to O n-1 to provide coupling portions K 1 to K n-1 which are connected to the first electrodes E 1 to E n-1 through the grooves O 1 to O n-1 , respectively, and; forming n-1 sequentially arranged isolating portions H 1 to H n-1 in the second conductive layer on the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate members Q 1 to Q n-1 , respectively, to form n sequentially arranged second electrodes F 1 to F n which are isolated by the isolating portions H 1 to H n-1 , respectively, and opposite the first electrodes E 1 to E n through the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate members Q 1 to Q n , respectively, the second electrode F j+1 (j=1, 2, 3, . . . (n-1) being connected to the first electrode E j through the coupling portion K j .

Claim 2

A method of making a photoelectric conversion device, comprising the steps of: preparing a substrate formed by an insulating sheet-like member having a metallic sheet-like member and an insulating film having a thermal conductivity less than that of glass formed on the metallic sheet-like member; forming a first conductive layer on the insulating film of the substrate; forming n-1 (where n is an integer larger than 2) sequentially arranged first grooves G 1 to G n-1 in the first conductive layer by using a first laser beam to form n sequentially arranged first electrodes E 1 to E n separated by the first grooves G 1 to G n-1 , respectively; forming on the substrate a non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate layer having formed therein at least one semiconductor junction to cover the first grooves G 1 to G n-1 and the first electrodes E 1 to E n ; forming n-1 sequentially arranged second grooves O 1 to O n-1 in the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate layer by using a second laser beam to form n sequentially arranged non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate members Q 1 to Q n defined by the second grooves O 1 to O n-1 , respectively, thereby to expose portions of the respective first electrodes E 1 to E n-1 to the outside, where the grooves O 1 to O n-1 do not extend to the metallic sheet-like member of the substrate due to the low thermal conductivity of the insulating film; forming a second conductive layer which continuously extends on the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate members Q 1 to Q n and extends into the grooves O 1 to O n-1 to provide coupling portions K 1 to K n-1 which are connected to the first electrodes E 1 to E n-1 through the grooves O 1 to O n-1 , respectively, and; forming n-1 sequentially arranged isolating portions H 1 to H n-1 in the second conductive layer on the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate members Q 1 to Q n-1 , respectively, to form n sequentially arranged second electrodes F 1 to F n which are isolated by the isolating portions H 1 to H n-1 , respectively, and opposite the first electrodes E 1 to E n through the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate members Q 1 to Q n , respectively, the second electrode F j+1 (j=1, 2, 3, . . . (n-1) being connected to the first electrode E j through the coupling portion K j .