PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase a photoelectric conversion efficiency in a photovoltaic device having a thin film crystalline semiconductor as an electricity generating layer. SOLUTION: The photovoltaic device includes a first electrode layer 2, a semiconductor layer 3 of a first conduction type, a substantially-intrinsic i-type thin film crystalline semiconductor layer 4, a semiconductor layer 6 of a second conduction type opposed to the first conduction type, and a second electrode layer 7, sequentially laminated on a substrate 1. The semiconductor layer 3 of the first conduction type as the underlying layer of the i-type thin film crystalline semiconductor layer 4 is a thin film crystalline semiconductor layer which contains a crystallization blocking element. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT