Patent ID: 7947895

Claim:
A photovoltaic device comprising a photovoltaic element, the photovoltaic element comprising: a first conductivity type single crystalline silicon semiconductor layer; a substantially intrinsic non-single-crystalline semiconductor layer formed on the first conductivity type single crystalline silicon semiconductor layer; a transparent conductive oxide film formed on the substantially intrinsic non-single-crystalline semiconductor layer, wherein said transparent conductive oxide film contains SnO 2 -added In 2 O 3 with the content of Sn not more than 5 percent by weight, has an arithmetic mean deviation of the profile (Ra) of at least about 0.5 nm and not more than 2 nm, and has a surface with respect to which a contact angle of water is at least about 40° C. and not more than about 74° C.; a paste electrode formed on the transparent oxide film, wherein the paste electrode contains a metal material and a resin binder, the resin binder containing at least about 60 percent by weight and not more than about 80 percent by weight of epoxy resin; and an electric wire connected to the paste electrode by solder, wherein a surface of the transparent conductive oxide film has irregularities with a height, and wherein a surface of the first conductivity type single crystalline silicon semiconductor layer has irregularities higher than the height of the irregularities on the surface of the transparent conductive oxide film, the resin binder consists of urethane resin and the epoxy resin.