NOVELTY - The method involves providing a set of contact openings through a passivation layer (30) i.e. silicon nitride layer, to a semiconductor substrate (10) e.g. silicon nitride. A contact metal (45) is selectively plated into the contact openings to deposit the contact metal. A thick metal layer (55) e.g. copper layer, is deposited over the deposited contact metal to form metal gridlines. The deposited contact metal and the deposited metal containing layer are fired, where the contact openings are formed by laser ablation of the passivation layer.    USE - Method for forming a photovoltaic cell i.e. solar cell, electrode structure for converting sunlight directly into electricity.    ADVANTAGE - The method allows removal of the passivation layer without significantly altering thickness or doping profile of an underlying semiconductor substrate. The method allows a multiple-layer electrode structure and the semiconductor substrate to have a contact area reduced by a factor of about 50 to about 400 to decrease recombination between the semiconductor substrate and the conductive contact layer and/or the metal gridlines. The multiple-layer electrode structure utilizes a lightly doped emitter layer, thus improving a blue response and light absorption, and hence increasing efficiency. The method allows laser energy to be deposited in a timeframe that is faster than the time required for the material to reach thermal equilibrium, so that the passivation layer can be ablated with less debris. The plating metal such as copper layer, is deposited in and around the contact openings, thus improving both the conductivity and the solderability of the gridlines.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a sectional view illustrating a method for forming a multiple-layer electrode structure using a photosensitive organometallic seed layer, laser writing to form contact openings and decompose the seed layer, electroless plating to deposit a contact metal and forming a metal grid-line on the contact metal.    Semiconductor substrate (10)    Positive N emitter layer or portion (20)    Passivation layer (30)    Contact metal (45)    Thick metal layer (55)