FIG. 11A is a plan viewof the photovoltaic element as seen from its light-receiving surface side, and FIG. 11B is a sectional view of the photovoltaic element shown in FIG. 11A, which is taken along the line 11B--11B in FIG. 11A.A photovoltaic element 600 shown in FIG. 11, is produced by sequentially stacking a lower electrode layer 603, a semiconductor layer 604, and an upper electrode layer 605