NOVELTY - Forming contacts on a surface emitter of a silicon solar cell, involves n-type diffusion of a surface to form a doped emitter surface layer that has a sheet resistance of 10-40 Omega /square; etching back the emitter surface layer to increase the sheet resistance of the emitter surface layer; and selectively plating the surface. The dopant containing layer comprises a phosphorus source.    USE - For forming contacts on a surface emitter of a silicon solar cell; and for silicon solar cell (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The method does not require second doping step for fabricating selective-emitter solar cells; and reduces formation defects in the region of the contact.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for fabrication of a silicon solar cell involving i) performing a front surface emitter diffusion of n-type dopant to achieve a finished emitter sheet resistivity of 50-250 ohms per square; ii) performing a dielectric deposition on the front surface by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) comprising growth of a thin 5-30 nm silicon oxide layer, and PECVD deposition of an anti-reflection coating (ARC); iii) screen-print rear (non-light receiving) surface with aluminum for the rear contact, followed by firing; iv) annealing the silicon to drive hydrogen from the silicon nitride layer into the silicon to passivate the silicon after the rear contact firing step (iii); v) performing a localized laser melting of the wafer top surface in the presence of a dopant containing source to simultaneously melt and dope the light receiving surface of the silicon, creating the heavily doped n+ regions in locations where front surface metal contacts are to be formed, while destroying the overlying dielectric layers to expose the doped silicon surface of the n+ regions; and vii) plating a layer of nickel over the laser doped n+ regions.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows flow chart of tire process that results in spurious unwanted metal is deposited on the silicon nitride surface during metal plating of cells.