Disclosed is a solar cell manufacturing method in which a photoelectric converter (12) is formed that comprises multiple compartment elements (21, 21s) and in which the aforementioned compartment elements (21, 21s) that are mutually adjacent are electrically connected to one another. Within the aforementioned photoelectric converter (12), a first compartment element (21s) with structural defects (R, A1, A2, A3) is specified, and by specifying defect sites based on the distribution of resistance values obtained by measuring resistance values at multiple positions between mutually adjacent compartment elements (21, 21s), sites at which structural defects (R, A1, A2, A3) are present within the aforementioned first compartment element (21s) are defined, and laser light is applied to the aforementioned first compartment element (21s) and to a second compartment element (21) adjacent to the aforementioned first compartment element (21s) to cross boundary part (19) between the aforementioned first compartment element (21s) that comprises sites at which the aforementioned structural defects (R, A1, A2, A3) are present and the aforementioned second compartment element (21), and the aforementioned defects (R, A1, A2, A3) are eliminated or isolated.