NOVELTY - The photovoltaic device comprises a first conductive semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer (510) of first conductivity type, a third semiconductor layer (508) of second conductivity type, a barrier layer, a fourth semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type, a fifth layer (506), a substrate, and a first support layer. The first conductive semiconductor layer comprises silicon such that minority carrier lifetime is less than 1 mu ms and the first conductive semiconductor layer has a thickness of greater than or equal to 50 microns, and is formed above the first support layer.    USE - Used as a photovoltaic device such as a solar cell.    ADVANTAGE - The photovoltaic device can be economically manufactured with long lifespan and high conversion efficiency.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The photovoltaic device comprises a first conductive semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer (510) of first conductivity type, a third semiconductor layer (508) of second conductivity type, a barrier layer, a fourth semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type, a fifth layer (506), a substrate, and a first support layer. The first conductive semiconductor layer comprises silicon such that minority carrier lifetime is less than 1 mu ms and the first conductive semiconductor layer has a thickness of greater than or equal to 50 microns, and is formed above the first support layer. The second semiconductor layer of first conductivity type is positioned adjacent to the first layer, comprises a semiconductor such that minority carrier lifetime is greater than 100 ns and the second layer has a thickness of 10 less than or equal to microns, and is present in contact with the first conductive semiconductor layer. The third semiconductor layer of second conductivity type is present in contact with the second semiconductor layer, and comprises a semiconductor such that minority carrier lifetime is greater than 100 ns. The second and third semiconductor layers are operated as an active region such that a portion of incident radiation is converted to electrical energy. The barrier layer is positioned between the first conductive layer and the second layer, and comprises composition layers. The device is formed by processes consisting of physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, molten application and plasma spraying processes. The fourth semiconductor layer: is formed between the first conductive layer and the second layer; comprises a first heterojunction material region in contact with the second layer such that a first heterojunction is formed between the first heterojunction material region and the second layer; and is present in contact with the third semiconductor layer of second conductivity type. The fifth layer is present in contact with the third layer, and comprises a second heterojunction material region such that a second heterojunction is formed between the lightly doped second conductivity type region and the third layer. The substrate is adjacent to the first conductive layer such that the first conductive layer separates the substrate from the second layer. The first conductive layer is formed by a deposition from a molten source dispensed directly onto a platen such as the substrate. The first support layer comprises silicon, and has a resistivity of less than 10 ohm-cm. An interface positioned between the second semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer forms the active region operable to convert incident radiation into electrical energy. An interface positioned between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer forms the first heterojunction. An interface positioned between the third semiconductor layer and the fourth semiconductor layer forms the second heterojunction. The second and third semiconductor layers consist of Group IV elements. The first and fourth semiconductor layers consist of Group IV elements. The support, first, second, third and/or fourth layers are formed by the plasma spraying process.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a schematic view of a photovoltaic device.    Metallization layers (502)    Passivation layers (504)    Fifth layer (506)    Third layer (508)    Second layer. (510)