Protective cover for a copper containing conductor

A method of manufacturing a solar cell comprising a copper-containing conductor covered with a protective cover on a semiconductor substrate, comprising the steps of:

• Providing the semiconductor substrate in a deposition chamber of a vapour deposition apparatus, which semiconductor substrate comprises a passivation layer at a first side thereof, which passivation layer is patterned to define contact areas at which the copper-containing conductor is present;
• Supplying a gaseous silicon species into the deposition chamber, resulting in the formation of a surface layer of a copper silicide on a surface of the copper-containing conductor and in the formation of amorphous silicon on top of the passivation layer, and
• Providing a protective layer of an insulating silicon compound on the surface layer, wherein the protective cover comprising both the surface layer and the protective layer.