Photoelectric element

A photoelectric element comprising:

• a first region of a semiconductor of a first conductivity type having front and rear major surfaces, one of which constitutes a light-receiving surface;
• at least one second region provided on at least one portion of the light-receiving side of the first region to form a photovoltaic mechanism in conjunction with the first region, said second region having a shorter side, in plan view, whose length is not more than twice the minority carrier diffusion length of the first region;
• a barrier layer covering at least those portions of the light-receiving surface of the first region at which the second region is not provided;
• and
• a transparent conductive film in electrical contact with the at least one second region and also in contact with the barrier layer, for enabling a voltage generated by light incident on the light-receiving surface to be applied to the light-receiving surface under the barrier layer as a bias voltage of a polarity inducing majority carriers of the semiconductor constituting the first region.