The present invention provides a HPT having high sensitivity and extensive wavelength band characteristics. The collector and barrier layer (5) is formed on the photo-absorption layer (6), wherein the energy level in the conduction band is higher than that of the photo-absorption layer (6), the energy level in the valence band is almost equal to or higher than that of the photo-absorption layer (6) and is a relatively wider gap semiconductor than the photo-absorption layer. The base layer (4) formed on the collector and barrier layer (5), is a relatively narrow gap as compared with the collector and barrier layer (5), wherein the energy level in the conduction band is equal to or higher than that of the collector and barrier layer (5) in the boundary of the collector and barrier layer (5). The emitter layer (3) formed on a base layer (4) is a relatively wide gap as compared with the base layer (4), and the energy level in the valence band is the first conductivity type semiconductor layer lower than that of the base layer (4).