Photovoltaic device

A photovoltaic device, comprising:

• a coated substrate that is opaque;
• an electrode layer on said substrate;
• and
• a photovoltaic converter element structure on said electrode layer, said structure including a stack of layers arranged from said electrode layer which include in sequence an insulative layer, a first back electrode layer, a semi-conductive layer containing a photo-active layer, and a transparent electrode layer, said structure including a contact hole which extends through said stack to said electrode layer that is on said coated substrate, said first back electrode layer being retracted from said contact hole to define a space which is filled in by said semi-conducive layer, said electrode layer which is on said substrate constituting a second back electrode layer, said transparent electrode layer extending into said contact hole to fill a portion of said contact hole which is smaller than all of said contact hole, said transparent electrode layer being in contact with said semi-conductive layer and said insulative layer and in electrical contact with said second back electrode layer by filling said portion of said contact hole, said semi-conductive layer being stepped, said transparent electrode layer being conformally stepped so as to have a stepped surface adjacent said contact hole and another surface which is further from said second back electrode layer than is said stepped surface.