Abstract

A stable front contact current collector grid 116 is provided for photovoltaic devices. The current collector grid 116 is disposed between two semiconductor layers, 118 and 119, each semiconductor layer having the same conductivity type. The photovoltaic device utilizes a substrate 112; an optically transparent electrically conductive layer 114; a first layer of semiconductor material 118; a front contact current collector grid 116; a second layer of semiconductor material 119 having the same conductivity type as the first semiconductor layer; a third layer of semiconductor material 120 having a conductivity type opposite from that of the first and second semiconductor layers; and an electrically conductive film 122 in contact with the third semiconductor layer.