Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
A manufacturing method for a photoelectric conversion device having a light absorbing layer and a carrier multiplying layer at least having a non-single crystalline semiconductor, said carrier multiplying layer being composed of a plurality of graded layers of which the forbidden band width continuously changes from the minimum forbidden band width Eg1 to the maximum forbidden band width Eg2, wherein there is an energy step sufficient to avalanche multiply the carriers between a region of the maximum forbidden band width Eg2 and a region of the minimum forbidden band width adjacent thereto, when an electric field is applied, characterized in that after the deposition of any one of said region of the minimum forbidden band width Eg1 and said region of the maximum forbidden band width Eg2, the plasma treatment is performed with a gas at least containing oxygen or nitrogen, and further the other region is deposited.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
148 words
A manufacturing method for a photoelectric conversion device having a light absorbing layer and a carrier multiplying layer at least having a non-single crystalline semiconductor, said carrier multiplying layer being composed of a plurality of graded layers of which the forbidden band width continuously changes from the minimum forbidden band width Eg1 to the maximum forbidden band width Eg2, wherein there is an energy step sufficient to avalanche multiply the carriers between a region of the maximum forbidden band width Eg2 and a region of the minimum forbidden band width adjacent thereto, when an electric field is applied, characterized in that after the deposition of any one of said region of the minimum forbidden band width Eg1 and said region of the maximum forbidden band width Eg2, the plasma treatment is performed with a gas at least containing oxygen or nitrogen, and further the other region is deposited.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
A manufacturing method for a photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein said region of the minimum forbidden band width Eg1 has an amorphous material having mainly silicon, germanium, and hydrogen, and said region of the maximum forbidden band width Eg2 has an amorphous material having mainly silicon, carbon and hydrogen.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A manufacturing method for a photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein said plasma treatment is performed from one to thirty minutes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A manufacturing method for a photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein said gas containing oxygen or nitrogen has at least one selected from a group comprised of O 2 , N 2 , NH 3 , H 2 O, NO 2 , and NO.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A manufacturing method for a photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein said gas containing oxygen or nitrogen is diluted by at least one selected from a group comprised of H 2 , He, and Ar.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
A manufacturing method for a photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein said region of the minimum forbidden band width Eg1 has an amorphous material having mainly silicon, germanium and hydrogen, and said region of the maximum forbidden band width Eg2 has an amorphous material having mainly silicon, nitrogen and hydrogen.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
107 words
A photoelectric conversion device having a light absorbing layer and a carrier multiplying layer having a non-single crystalline semiconductor, said carrier multiplying layer being composed of a plurality of graded layers of which the forbidden band width continuously changes from the minimum forbidden band width Eg1 to the maximum forbidden band width Eg2, wherein there is an energy step sufficient to avalanche multiply the carriers between a region of the maximum forbidden band width Eg2 and a region of the minimum forbidden band width Eg1 adjacent thereto, when an electric field is applied, characterized in that an oxide or nitride region is formed between said graded layers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
107 words
A photoelectric conversion device having a light absorbing layer and a carrier multiplying layer having a non-single crystalline semiconductor, said carrier multiplying layer being composed of a plurality of graded layers of which the forbidden band width continuously changes from the minimum forbidden band width Eg1 to the maximum forbidden band width Eg2, wherein there is an energy step sufficient to avalanche multiply the carriers between a region of the maximum forbidden band width Eg2 and a region of the minimum forbidden band width Eg1 adjacent thereto, when an electric field is applied, characterized in that an oxide or nitride region is formed between said graded layers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
A photoelectric conversion device according to claim 7, wherein said graded layer has the composition changing from an amorphous material having silicon and germanium to an amorphous material having carbon or silicon and nitrogen.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A photoelectric conversion device according to claim 7, wherein said oxide or nitride region has a thickness of 20 angstroms or greater.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A photoelectric conversion device according to claim 7, wherein said oxide or nitride region is a region formed by the reaction of the graded layer with oxygen or nitrogen.