Photoelectric conversion device and its manufacturing method

Claim 1

A method of making a photoelectric conversion device in which a plurality n (when n is an integer greater than one) of semiconductor elements U 1 to U n are sequentially formed side by side by side on a substrate having an insulating surface and conneted in series one after another, the semiconductor element U i (i=1, 1, . . . n) comprising a first eletrode E i on the substrate, a non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member Q i on the first electrode E i and a second electrode F i on the laminate member, the second electrode F j+1 of the semiconductor element U j+1 (j-1, 2, . . . (n-1)) being connected via coupling portion K j to the first electrode E j , comprising the steps of: forming a first conductive layer on the substrate; forming (n-1) sequentially arranged first grooves G 1 to G n-1 in the first conductive layer by using a first laser beam to form therein 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 and continuously extending onto the first electrode E 1 to E n and into the first grooves G 1 to G n-1 ; 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 therein n sequentially arranged non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate members Q 1 to Q n separated by the grooves O 1 to O n and extending on the first electrodes E 1 to E n , respectively, the second groove O j being opposite the electrode E j , the distance between first groove G j and the second groove O j being greater than the thickness of the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member Q j in the lateral direction; forming on the substrate a second conductive layer continuously extending on the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate members Q 1 to Q n and 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 arrranged isolating portions H 1 to H n-1 in at 1east the second conductive layer using third laser beam to form therein n sequentially arranged second electrodes F 1 to F n separated by the isolating portions H 1 to H n and opposing the first electrodes E 1 to E n through the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member Q j , the distance between the second groove O j and the isolating protion H j being greater than the thickness of the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member Q j in the same lateral direction in which the second groove O j is spaced apart from the first groove G j , the second electrode F j+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 in which a plurality n (when n is an integer greater than one) of semiconductor elements U 1 to U n are sequentially formed side by side by side on a substrate having an insulating surface and conneted in series one after another, the semiconductor element U i (i=1, 1, . . . n) comprising a first eletrode E i on the substrate, a non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member Q i on the first electrode E i and a second electrode F i on the laminate member, the second electrode F j+1 of the semiconductor element U j+1 (j-1, 2, . . . (n-1)) being connected via coupling portion K j to the first electrode E j , comprising the steps of: forming a first conductive layer on the substrate; forming (n-1) sequentially arranged first grooves G 1 to G n-1 in the first conductive layer by using a first laser beam to form therein 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 and continuously extending onto the first electrode E 1 to E n and into the first grooves G 1 to G n-1 ; 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 therein n sequentially arranged non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate members Q 1 to Q n separated by the grooves O 1 to O n and extending on the first electrodes E 1 to E n , respectively, the second groove O j being opposite the electrode E j , the distance between first groove G j and the second groove O j being greater than the thickness of the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member Q j in the lateral direction; forming on the substrate a second conductive layer continuously extending on the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate members Q 1 to Q n and 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 arrranged isolating portions H 1 to H n-1 in at 1east the second conductive layer using third laser beam to form therein n sequentially arranged second electrodes F 1 to F n separated by the isolating portions H 1 to H n and opposing the first electrodes E 1 to E n through the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member Q j , the distance between the second groove O j and the isolating protion H j being greater than the thickness of the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member Q j in the same lateral direction in which the second groove O j is spaced apart from the first groove G j , the second electrode F j+1 being connected to the first electrode E j through the coupling portion K j .