Photovoltaic element and production method therefor

A method of producing a photovoltaic element comprising the steps of:

• forming, on a conductive substrate or a substrate with a conductive film formed thereon, a photovoltaic layer having a first semiconductor junction layer for generating a photoelectromotive force in plural positions with a predetermined interval therebetween,
• forming a bypass diode layer having a second semiconductor junction layer with a forward direction of a semiconductor junction opposite to that of the first semiconductor junction layer, on the substrate between the plural positions of the photovoltaic layer, and
• forming a current collecting electrode on the bypass diode layer so as to be connected with the photovoltaic layer and the bypass diode layer,
• wherein each of the first and second semiconductor junction layers is formed so as to have a pin junction, and the i-type layer of each of the first and second semiconductor junction layers is simultaneously formed with the same material and extends into the bypass diode layer.

A photovoltaic element comprising:

• a conductive plane;
• a photovoltaic layer and a bypass diode layer provided on the conductive plane;
• and
• a current collecting electrode provided on the bypass diode layer;
• wherein a plurality of separate photovoltaic layers is provided on the conductive plane, the bypass diode layer is provided in a separation region between adjacent photovoltaic layers and in contact with the plurality of photovoltaic layers.

A method of producing a photovoltaic element comprising the steps of:

• forming a plurality of photovoltaic layers provided with a separation region on a conductive plane;
• forming a bypass diode layer in the separation region, wherein the bypass diode layer is formed so that the bypass diode layer is brought into contact with the plurality of photovoltaic layers;
• and
• forming a current collecting electrode on the bypass diode layer.

A method of producing a photovoltaic element comprising the steps of:

• forming a first semiconductor layer constituting a part of a plurality of photovoltaic layers provided with a separation region on a conductive plane;
• forming a second semiconductor layer constituting part of a bypass diode layer in the separation region;
• forming an intrinsic layer on the first and the second semiconductor layers;
• forming a third semiconductor layer constituting a part of the plurality of the photovoltaic layers on the first semiconductor layer through the intrinsic layer;
• forming a fourth semiconductor layer constituting a part of the bypass diode layer on the second semiconductor layer through the intrinsic layer;
• and
• forming a current collecting electrode on the fourth semiconductor layer.