NOVELTY - The method comprises providing a container for a coating material, where the container is heated and/or cooled. The coating material is applied on a carrier (7), which is: heated after applying the coating material to crystallize out the semiconductor material; and cleaned and/or activated before applying the coating material in an area of a surface to be coated. P-doped and n-doped semiconductor material layers are applied on the carrier. A diffusion barrier layer is applied on the carrier after cleaning and/or activating the carrier and before applying the semiconductor material.    USE - The method is useful for producing polycrystalline solar cells by printing method such as a rotary printing method including a gravure printing method and/or a screen printing method, a spraying method such as airbrush method, and an offset- and/or high-pressure method (all claimed), and for coating a carrier with a polycrystalline semiconductor material.    ADVANTAGE - The continuous method is capable of rapidly and economically producing the polycrystalline solar cells with high quality, improved productivity and less consumption of energy in an efficient manner.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The method comprises providing a container for a coating material, where the container is heated and/or cooled. The coating material is applied on a carrier (7), which is: heated after applying the coating material to crystallize out the semiconductor material; and cleaned and/or activated before applying the coating material in an area of a surface to be coated. P-doped and n-doped semiconductor material layers are applied on the carrier. A diffusion barrier layer is applied on the carrier after cleaning and/or activating the carrier and before applying the semiconductor material. The carrier is coated with a photoconductive semiconductor material. The coating material is applied on the carrier by a roller, which is heated and/or cooled. The method is carried out under an inert gas atmosphere.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The diagram shows a schematic view of an apparatus for coating a carrier with a polycrystalline semiconductor material.    Chamber (3)    Feed-through (5, 5')    Carrier (7)    deflection pulley (9, 9')    Coating device. (11)