Process for producing a thin silicon solar cell

A process for the production of a solar cell, said process comprising the steps of:

• (i) forming an insulating layer of Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 on a silicon wafer,
• (ii) forming laterally spaced openings in which a surface of the silicon wafer is exposed,
• (iii) performing crystal growth of monocrystalline silicon regions at the openings which laterally extend over a surface of the insulating layer until the monocrystalline silicon regions collide with each other, by means of a CVD process while stepwise changing the substrate temperature,
• (iv) removing at least the exposed portions of the insulating layer through gaps left among the monocrystalline silicon regions,
• (v) embedding a resin in the gaps,
• (vi) forming an electrode over the surfaces of the monocrystalline silicon regions and fastening the surface of the electrode to a substrate through an adhesive resin,
• (vii) separating the monocrystalline silicon regions from the silicon wafer, and
• (viii) disposing a counter electrode to another surface of the monocrystalline silicon regions.