NOVELTY - Forming a photovoltaic conductive feature involves depositing a composition including metal-containing particles having a primary particle size of 10 nanometers to less than 500 nanometers, and having a continuous/non-continuous coating of a ceramic material, on at least a portion of a substrate; and heating the composition, preferably at 400-1000degreesC, so that the composition forms at least a portion of the photovoltaic conductive feature on the substrate.    USE - To form a photovoltaic conductive feature (e.g. a set of finger lines and collector lines deposited at a right angle to the finger lines) on a substrate (claimed), for a solar cell; useful for forming a continuous electrode structure that is in direct electrical contact with emitter layer (e.g. silicon emitter layer), and also useful in optical, electronic, fuel cell, in photovoltaic applications, in anti-counterfeiting and graphic applications, and in electronic, printable electronic and display applications such as conductors, resistors, dielectrics, capacitors, circuits, solar panels, plasma televisions, cell phones and laptops.    ADVANTAGE - The nano-sized metal particles with the surface coating of ceramic material, exhibits higher reactivity and lower sintering temperature (i.e. high interparticle diffusion rates), as compared to micron-sized particles, thus enabling the creation of denser electrode layers and the opportunity for more aerial contact at the emitter interface. The ceramic-coated, metal-containing nanoparticles can be produced in a single step vapor phase process. The nano-sized metal particles with the surface coating of ceramic material, are a better match for the surface roughness of passivating layer, enabling increased aerial physical contact with the surface, and hence improving etching. The coating of ceramic material on the metal-containing particle, prevents agglomeration of the particles, enabling production of thin films of particles, where the film is reflective, and the particles are conductive even at at high silver concentration (greater than 95 wt.%). The conductive feature can have a thickness of 50nm to 1microns, or a thickness of greater than 1 microns. The nano-sized metal particles with the surface coating of ceramic material, exhibits higher reactivity than their micron-sized counterparts, leading to lower processing temperatures of the cell. Lower processing temperatures minimize the diffusion of silver into the silicon emitter layer of the solar cell, thus minimizing shunting of the cell. In addition, the nano-sized metal particles with surface coating of ceramic material, exhibits lower sintering temperature, and have the potential to change the phase space for silver dissolution/reprecipitation, to enable better delivery of the silver to the emitter interface.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Forming a photovoltaic conductive feature involves depositing a composition including metal-containing particles having a primary particle size of 10 nanometers to less than 500 nanometers, and having a continuous/non-continuous coating of a ceramic material, on at least a portion of a substrate; and heating the composition, preferably at 400-1000degreesC, so that the composition forms at least a portion of the photovoltaic conductive feature on the substrate. The depositing of the composition is performed by lithographic printing, a gravure printing, a flexo printing, a photopatterning printing, a drop on demand printing, syringe printing, aerosol jetting, screen printing, direct write printing or ink jet printing. The composition preferably comprises a dispersant. The metal-containing particles are preferably functionalized with functional group(s). An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a photovoltaic conductive feature comprising a percolation network of metal particles in electrical contact with a silicon-containing substrate; and a ceramic material (less than 5 wt.%); where the percolation network has a resistance that is less than five times the bulk resistance of the metal.