TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The semiconductor contained in the semiconductor layer is titanium oxide. (I) is substituted 4-(1-(4-diphenylamino-phenyl)-meth-(Z)-ylidene)-5-oxo-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-ylsulfanylmethyl compounds of formula (II) or substituted 5-oxo-4-(1-(4-phenyl-1,2,3,3a,4,8b-hexahydro-cyclopenta(b)indol-7-yl)-meth-(Z)-ylidene)-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-ylsulfanylmethyl compounds of formula (III).R8-R10 = alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, alkyl-seleno, aryl, heterocyclyl (all optionally substituted) or halo; andn1-n3 = 1-5. Preferred Definitions:    R1, R2 = substituted 5-oxo-1,5-dihydro-imidazol-(4Z)-ylidenemethyl moiety of formula (a1);    R5 = (-Y1-(C(R6)(R7))n-X;    Y1 = S, O or Se;    n = greater than or equal to 0; either    R6, R7 = alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, amino, aryl, heterocyclyl (all optionally substituted), H, halo, OH, thiol or CN; or    R6R7 = ring;    m = 1; and    R4 = H.    EXAMPLE - The solution containing tetrakis(isopropoxy)titanium (1.2 ml) and acetyl acetone (0.8 ml) dissolved in ethanol (18 ml) was dropped onto the fluorine-doped tin oxide conductive glass substrate (first electrode) using the spin coat method, to form the film. Then, the film was heated at 450 degrees C for 8 minutes, to form a barrier layer made of titanium oxide having a thickness of 30-50 nm on the transparent conductive film. On this barrier film formed on the fluorine-doped tin oxide conductive glass substrate was coated a titanium oxide paste with a screen printing method. Then, the paste was heated at 200 degrees C for 10 minutes and subsequently at 500 degrees C for 15 minutes, to obtain a titanium oxide thin film. (4-(1-(4-(Bis-(4-(2,2-diphenyl-vinyl)-phenyl)-amino)-phenyl)-meth-(Z)-ylidene)-5-oxo-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-ylsulfanyl)-acetic acid was dissolved in a mixed solvent of acetonitrile and tert-butyl alcohol (1:1), to obtain the dye solution. The fluorine-doped tin oxide conductive glass substrate on which titanium oxide paste was coated and heated was immersed in this solution at room temperature for 3 hours to conduct an adsorption treatment of the dye, to obtain an oxide semiconductor electrode. Then, the semiconductor electrode was immersed in an acetonitrile solution (containing 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene dimer (1x 10-2 mol/l) and lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide (0.1 mol/l)). While irradiating with light from the direction of the semiconductor layer (using xenon lamp with light strength of 22 mW/cm2, and wavelength less than 430 nm was cut), the voltage was kept for 30 minutes, to form a hole transport layer on the semiconductor electrode surface. The obtained semiconductor electrode and hole transport layer were washed with acetonitrile and dried. The obtained hole transport layer was a polymer film insoluble in a solvent, and was immersed in an acetonitrile solution (containing lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide (15x 10-3 mol/l) and tert-butylpyridine (50x 10-3mol/l) for 15 minutes. After naturally drying the semiconductor electrode and the hole transport layer, gold was vapor deposited to have a thickness of 60 nm to form a second electrode, and thus photoelectric conversion element was obtained.