NOVELTY - Forming a thin film solar cell (100A) comprises providing a metallic foil substrate (108) having a front surface and a back surface (105), forming a semiconductor absorber film over the front surface of the metallic foil substrate, removing portion(s) of the surface film from the back surface in a process chamber to form a treated back surface contact area on the back surface of the metallic foil substrate, and depositing a transparent conductive layer over the semiconductor absorber film in the process chamber.    USE - Method forming a thin film solar cell (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The method reduces the contact resistance, enhances the adhesion of contact leads such as copper ribbons attached to the back side of metallic foil substrates, and enhances device efficiency and manufacturability as well as long term reliability of the modules.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Forming a thin film solar cell (100A) comprises providing a metallic foil substrate (108) having a front surface and a back surface (105), forming a semiconductor absorber film over the front surface of the metallic foil substrate, removing portion(s) of the surface film from the back surface in a process chamber to form a treated back surface contact area on the back surface of the metallic foil substrate, and depositing a transparent conductive layer over the semiconductor absorber film in the process chamber. The step of forming semiconductor absorber film also causes formation of a surface film on the back surface of the metallic foil substrate. The method includes forming a conductive layer on the treated back surface contact area in the process chamber, attaching electrical lead contact(s) onto the conductive layer, and forming a conductive layer on the treated back surface contact area. The attaching is performed using a conductive adhesive applied between the treated back surface contact area and the electrical lead contact(s). An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for transparent conductive layers depositing system for manufacturing solar cells.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a schematic view of the solar cells.    Thin film solar cell (100A)    Base portion (104)    Back surface (105)    Front portion (106)    Metallic foil substrate (108)    Contact layer (110)    Transparent layer (114)