In producing a thin film solar battery using a semiconductor film producing
apparatus, a semiconductor film is formed on a substrate by glow discharge
decomposition. The substrate is transported in a desired direction within
a glow discharge space. A substrate heating unit heats the substrate at
different temperatures along the desired direction in which the substrate
is transported. Consequently, a plurality of semiconductor layers having
different hydrogen concentrations are laminated at desired thicknesses
with desired characteristics. A glow discharge generating unit generates
high frequency power having different frequencies and/or different power
outputs along the desired direction in which the substrate is transported.