Patent ID: 8773558

Claim:
A photoelectric conversion element comprising: a photoelectric conversion portion; and a member for light path to said photoelectric conversion portion, which is provided onto said photoelectric conversion portion and surrounded with an insulator film; wherein said member includes a first portion, and a second portion having a same stoichiometric composition as said first portion, and having a higher refractive index than a refractive index of said first portion; and wherein said second portion is continuous with said first portion and surrounds said first portion, and the refractive index of said first portion is higher than a refractive index of said insulator film, within some plane in parallel with a light receiving surface of said photoelectric conversion portion, and within other plane in parallel with said light receiving surface and closer to said light receiving surface than said some plane; and wherein a thickness of said second portion within said other plane is smaller than a thickness of said second portion within said some plane.