Apparatus for forming non-single-crystal semiconductor thin film, method for forming non-single-crystal semiconductor thin film, and method for producing photovoltaic device

Provided are an apparatus of forming a non-single-crystal semiconductor thin film comprising a film deposition chamber having a film-forming space surrounded by a film deposition chamber wall and a beltlike substrate, and an external chamber surrounding the deposition chamber wall, wherein while the beltlike substrate is moved in a longitudinal direction thereof, a film-forming gas is introduced through a gas supply device into the film-forming space and microwave energy is radiated from a microwave applicator into the film-forming space to induce a microwave plasma therein, thereby forming a non-single-crystal semiconductor thin film on a surface of the beltlike substrate, and wherein a cooling mechanism and a temperature-increasing mechanism are provided such that the mechanisms cover a part of an outside surface of the deposition chamber wall, an apparatus of forming a non-single-crystal semiconductor thin film comprising a film deposition chamber having a film-forming space surrounded by a film deposition chamber wall and a beltlike substrate, and an external chamber surrounding the deposition chamber wall, wherein while the beltlike substrate is moved in a longitudinal direction thereof, a film-forming gas is introduced through a gas supply device into the film-forming space and a plasma is induced in the film-forming space, thereby forming a non-single-crystal semiconductor thin film on a surface of the beltlike substrate, and wherein the gas supply device comprises a gas manifold, the gas manifold being provided apart from the deposition chamber wall, methods of forming a non-single-crystal semiconductor thin film using the above forming apparatus and methods of producing a photovoltaic device by using the methods of forming the thin film. These permit a non-single-crystal semiconductor thin film to be formed across a large area on the substrate and with high quality and excellent uniformity.