A solar battery 10 comprises a metal electrode layer 12, a pin junction
100, and a transparent electrode layer 16 which are successively
laminated on a substrate 11 such as a silicon substrate. The pin junction
100 comprises an n-layer 13, an i-layer 14, and a p-layer 15 which are
laminated in succession. The i-layer 14 is formed by amorphous iron
silicide (Fe.sub.xSi.sub.y:H) containing hydrogen atoms. In the i-layer
14, at least a part of the hydrogen atoms contained therein terminate
dangling bonds of silicon atoms and/or iron atoms, so that a number of
trap levels which may occur in an amorphous iron silicide film can be
eliminated, whereby the i-layer 14 exhibits a characteristic as an
intrinsic semiconductor layer.