Patent ID: 7052998

Claim:
A method for manufacturing an integrated type photovoltaic device in which a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, each comprising a first electrode film provided on a substrate having an insulating surface, a photoelectric conversion layer comprised of semiconductor thin films and a second electrode film formed on the photoelectric conversion layer, are serially connected, the method comprising steps of: (a) forming a laminated film by sequentially laminating the first electrode film, the photoelectric conversion layer, the second electrode film on the insulating surface of the substrate without being divided; (b) forming deep open grooves through the laminated films to the depth of the first electrode film so as to electrically separate the laminated film including the first electrode film; (c) forming at least one shallow open groove parallel to, but offset from the deep open groove to isolate at least the second electrode film; (d) removing some portions of the photoelectric conversion layer by etching using the second electrode film with two or more open grooves as a mask to expose the first electrode film at bottom of at least one of the open grooves; (e) forming an insulating member inside the deep open groove or at the upper part of the deep open groove so as to block the opening thereof; and (f) filling the open groove where the first electrode film is exposed with a conductive member that extends to adjacent element across the deep open groove.