The present invention provides methods and apparatus for deposition of
contact layers for Group IBIIIAVIA solar cells using electrodeposition
and/or electroless deposition approaches, and solar cells that result
therefrom. In one aspect of the invention, the solar cell that results
includes a substrate, a stacked contact layer that includes a bottom film
coated on a surface of the substrate and a top film formed by
electroplating over the bottom film, wherein the top film comprises at
least one of Ru, Ir and Os. A Group IBIIIAVIA compound film formed over
the top film. In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a
method of depositing a stacked layer of a plurality of films in a
plurality of sequentially disposed depositing units onto a continuously
moving roll-to-roll sheet, preferably using electroplating of a stacked
contact layer.