TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Component: The lower electrode layer is in contact with the first semiconductor layer on a flat contact face (2a). The light scattering granules are of insulating material. The light scattering granules comprises first and second light scattering granules formed of different materials having different relative refractive indexes. The light scattering granules are each approximated by an ellipsoid having a major axis, and the external dimensions are each defined as twice the average of a distance between the major axis and a surface of associated one of the light scattering granules. The light scattering granules are positioned in contact with the contact face. An intermediate layer is formed on the first semiconductor layer. A second semiconductor layer (4) is formed on the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer includes a second matrix formed of transparent conductive material, and light scattering granules embedded within the second matrix. The intermediate layer is in contact with the second semiconductor layer on another contact face. The another contact face is flat. An upper electrode layer is formed to cover the first semiconductor layer. It includes a third matrix formed of transparent conductive material, and light scattering granules embedded within the third matrix. Preferred Property: A difference between relative refractive indexes of the first matrix and second light scattering granules is less than or equal to2. An average of external dimensions of the light scattering granules is 60-2000 nm. The average of the external dimensions of the light scattering granules is less than or equal to1200 or greater than or equal to300 nm. The average of the diameters is less than or equal to1200 or greater than or equal to300 nm. A difference between maximum and minimum values of the diameters is less than or equal to120 nm. An average of spacing lengths of the light scattering granules is less than or equal to4000 nm, the spacing lengths of the light scattering granules are each defined as being a distance between centers of adjacent two of the light scattering granules. The average of the spacing lengths is less than or equal to2400 nm. A ratio delta-AVE/d-AVE defined as a ratio of a average spacing length delta-AVE of the light scattering granules to an average diameter d-AVE, is less than or equal to20, where the average spacing length delta-AVE defined as average of spacing lengths of the light scattering granules with the spacing lengths of the light scattering granules defined as a distance between centers of adjacent two of the light scattering granules, and the average diameter d-AVE defined as the average of diameters of the light scattering granules, with the diameters each defined as being twice the average of a distance between a center and a surface of associated one of the light scattering granules. The ratio delta-AVE/d-AVE is less than or equal to4. A difference between maximum and minimum values of the spacing lengths is less than or equal to120 nm. A distance between the light scattering granules and the contact face is less than or equal to50 or less than or equal to30 nm.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Material: The light scattering granules are formed of titanium oxide, diamond, silicon oxide, magnesium fluoride, magnesium oxide, zinc oxide, or lithium tantalate. The first semiconductor layer is formed of silicon, silicon carbide, or silicon germanide.