Patent ID: 8546682

Claim:
A photoelectric converter comprising: a first silicon-based photoelectric conversion layer including a first p-type semiconductor layer and a first n-type semiconductor layer; a second silicon-based photoelectric conversion layer formed on the first silicon-based photoelectric conversion layer, the second silicon-based photoelectric conversion layer including a second p-type semiconductor layer and a second n-type semiconductor layer, and having light-absorbing wavelength characteristics different from characteristics of the first photoelectric conversion layer; an n-type transparent conductive oxide film that is arranged on a side in direct contact with the first n-type semiconductor layer between the first n-type semiconductor layer and the second p-type semiconductor layer, and has a bandgap equal to or higher than 1.5 electron volts; and a p-type transparent conductive oxide film that is arranged on a side in direct contact with the second p-type semiconductor layer between the first n-type semiconductor layer and the second p-type semiconductor layer so as to form a p-n junction with the n-type transparent conductive oxide film, and having a bandgap equal to or higher than 1.5 electron volts, wherein the n-type transparent conductive oxide film is in direct contact with the p-type transparent conductive oxide film, and wherein a width of a low carrier concentration region in a film thickness direction, in which a concentration of a free carrier formed near at least one of an interface on which the p-type transparent conductive oxide film comes into contact with the n-type transparent conductive oxide film and an interface on which the p-type transparent conductive oxide film comes into contact with the second p-type semiconductor layer is equal to or lower than 1×10 18 cm −3 , and is equal to or less than 5 nanometers.