A method of manufacturing a
solar cell by providing a first substrate; depositing sequentially on the first substrate a plurality of
semiconductor layers, the plurality of
semiconductor layers comprising a first layer and a last layer in the direction of deposition; forming a backside
contact layer on the last
semiconductor layer; forming on the last semiconductor layer a back
cathode contact isolated from at least a first portion of the backside
contact layer, the first portion forming the
anode contact; attaching a second substrate on the backside
contact layer and removing the first substrate to
expose the first semiconductor layer and to define a front surface and an opposite back surface of a
solar cell; forming a front
cathode contact on the front surface of the
solar cell;
etching a first trench through the plurality of semiconductor
layers to define an active portion of the solar
cell with a first mesa structure including the front
cathode contact and the
anode contact and being surrounded by the first trench, the first mesa having a first sidewall in the first trench and a lateral
peripheral region beyond the sidewall, and forming in the lateral
peripheral region an
electrically conductive layer extending from the front surface where it is electrically connected to the front cathode contact along the first sidewall of the first trench to be electrically connected to the back cathode contact.