Rod-shaped semiconductor device

A series-parallel type solar battery module, comprising a plurality of rod-shaped semiconductor devices arranged in a planar matrix and connected in series and in parallel, the matrix having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns of rod-shaped semiconductor devices, each one of the plurality of rod-shaped semiconductor devices having a light-receiving or light-emitting function and comprising:

• a rod-shaped substrate made of a p-type or n-type semiconductor crystal having a circular or near-circular cross section;
• a separate conductive layer, which is formed on a part of a surface of said substrate excluding a band-shaped part parallel to an axis of said substrate, and which has a different conduction type from that of said substrate;
• a near-cylindrical pn-junction formed with said substrate and said separate conductive layer;
• a band-shaped first electrode ohmic-connected to a surface of said band-shaped part on said substrate;
• a band-shaped second electrode ohmic-connected to a surface of said separate conductive layer on an opposite side of said first electrode across the axis of said substrate;
• and
• a light-emitting diode;
• wherein for said each one rod-shaped semiconductor device, said first electrode is one of a positive or negative electrode and said second electrode is the other of a positive or negative electrode;
• wherein for each two adjacent serially connected rod-shaped semiconductor devices in any given column of the planar matrix, a positive electrode of one rod-shaped semiconductor device is electrically connected to an adjacent negative electrode of an adjacent rod-shaped semiconductor device via a thin plate;
• and
• wherein for any given row of the planar matrix, all rod-shaped semiconductor devices in said given row are connected in parallel by a thin plate, said parallel connecting thin plate also serving as the serial connecting thin plate for respective serial connections between respective rod-shaped semiconductor devices in said given row and corresponding adjacent rod-shaped semiconductor devices in an adjacent row.