PURPOSE: To easily read out signal charges so as to improve the after-image characteristic of a solid-state image pickup element by intensifying the electrostatic coupling between a photoelectric conversion section and the semiconductor surface of a charge transferring section.

CONSTITUTION: An N--type impurity layer 6 is constituted below a transfer gate electrode adjacent to the N+-type impurity layer 5 of a photoelectric conversion section 1. Because of the impurity layer 6, the electrical connection between the section 1 and semiconductor surface of the electrode is intensified and the signal charges can be easily read out from the section 1. Therefore, the after-image characteristic of this solid-state image pickup element is improved.