Patent ID: 6025039
Filing Date: 2000-02-15
Classification: H01L,Y02E,Y02P

Abstract:
A method of producing a photovoltaic cell by moving an elongated substrate through an n-type layer forming chamber, an i-type layer forming chamber and a p-type layer forming chamber, thereby forming a photovoltaic cell having a p-i-n structure on the substrate by a plasma CVD process, wherein the p-type layer forming chamber comprises a gas supply pipe provided at a downstream side of a moving direction of the substrate, a gas exhaust pipe provided at an upstream side of the moving direction of the substrate and a discharging electrode, a single discharging space being formed within the p-type layer forming chamber, which comprises the steps of:applying a low frequency power to the discharging electrode while a semiconductor raw material gas is supplied into the discharging space from the gas supply pipe, thereby generating in the discharging space a gas exhaust side plasma and a gas supply side plasma which are different from each other;exposing the substrate to the gas exhaust side plasma to form a microcrystalline semiconductor layer on the substrate; andthen exposing the substrate to the gas supply side plasma to form an amorphous semiconductor layer on the microcrystalline semiconductor layer.