Method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device

Method of manufacturing a single-side-contacted photovoltaic device, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a photovoltaically-active substrate defining a plurality of alternating hole collecting zones and electron collecting zones arranged in parallel strips;
• b) depositing a conductive layer across said zones;
• c) depositing at least one conductive track extending along at least part of each of said zones;
• d) subsequently to step c), selectively forming a dielectric layer on each of said zones, so as to leave an exposed area free of dielectric at an interface between adjacent zones;
• e) etching said conductive layer in said exposed areas;
• f) applying a plurality of interconnecting conductors so as to electrically interconnect at least a portion of said hole collecting zones with each other, and to electrically interconnect at least a portion of said electron collecting zones with each other, wherein each of said tracks is continuous and wherein in step d) the dielectric layer is formed with greater thickness or width where electrical connections between said tracks and said interconnecting conductors are not desired, and lesser thickness or width where electrical connections between said tracks and said interconnecting conductors are desired.

Method of manufacturing a single-side-contacted photovoltaic device, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a photovoltaically-active substrate defining a plurality of alternating hole collecting zones and electron collecting zones arranged in parallel strips;
• b) depositing a conductive layer across said zones;
• c) depositing at least one conductive track extending along at least part of each of said zones;
• d) subsequently to step c), selectively forming a dielectric layer on each of said zones, so as to leave an exposed area free of dielectric at an interface between adjacent zones;
• e) etching said conductive layer in said exposed areas;
• f) applying a plurality of interconnecting conductors so as to electrically interconnect at least a portion of said hole collecting zones with each other, and to electrically interconnect at least a portion of said electron collecting zones with each other, wherein said at least one conductive track is fully embedded in said selectively-formed dielectric layer or protrudes therefrom.