A photovoltaic element produced from a product resulting from decomposition of a silicon polymer having an organic substituent of the group consisting of a hydrocarbon group, a halogenated hydrocarbon group and a silyl group R 3 R 4 R 5 Si- (wherein R 3 - R 5 each are identical or different, including C 1 - C 8 alkyl groups and C 6 - C 10 aryl groups). The inventive photovoltaic element is substantially pollution-free and capable of quantity production at a relatively large unit size.