Abstract

A photovoltaic device comprises a glass substrate, and on a surface of the glass substrate, a plurality of transparent electrodes which define each photoelectric conversion cell are arranged at intervals. At one end of each transparent electrode in the direction of width thereof, a conductor and an insulator are formed so as to extend in parallel in the direction of length of the photoelectric conversion cell with a spacing maintained inbetween, for example, by means of screen printing. On the surface of the glass substrate, a semiconductor photo-active layer composed of amorphous silicon is formed so as to cover the transparent electrode and the conductor and the insulator stripes formed thereon. On the semiconductor photo-active layer, a back electrode composed of aluminum is formed. By irradiating a laser beam onto the insulator from the back electrode side, the irradiated part of the back electrode and the semiconductor photo-active layer thereunder are separated at each photoelectric conversion cell. Also, by irradiating the laser beam onto the conductor from the back electrode side, the irradiated part of the back electrode and the semiconductor photo-active layer thereunder are melted, and the back electrode of each photoelectric conversion cell is connected electrically to the adjacent transparent electrode through the conductor.