NOVELTY - Photovoltaic device comprises: semiconductor substrate (10) including p-n junction with p-type semiconductor portion (10A) and n-type semiconductor portion (10B); patterned anti-reflective coatings (14) on front side surface of semiconductor substrate, where the coatings protect some portions of the front side surface, while leaving other portions of front side surface of semiconductor substrate exposed; at least one metal diffusion barrier layer (18) located on the other portions; and copper containing layer having an impurity level of greater than or equal to 200 ppm located atop the barrier layer.    USE - The photovoltaic device is useful as solar cell.    ADVANTAGE - The photovoltaic device having the copper containing layer with an impurity level of greater than or equal to 200 ppm has a lifetime that is 25-200% greater than an equivalent photovoltaic device including a copper containing layer having an impurity level of below 200 ppm (claimed), thus exhibiting improved performance.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Photovoltaic device comprises: a semiconductor substrate (10) including a p-n junction with a p-type semiconductor portion (10A) and an n-type semiconductor portion (10B) one on top of the other, where an upper exposed surface of one of the semiconductor portions represent a front side surface of the semiconductor substrate; patterned anti-reflective coatings (14) on the front side surface of the semiconductor substrate, where the coatings protect some portions of the front side surface, while leaving other portions of the front side surface of the semiconductor substrate exposed, and the other portions of the front side surface that are exposed form a grid pattern on the front side surface; at least one metal diffusion barrier layer (18) located on the other portions of the front side surface of the semiconductor substrate that are exposed; and a copper containing layer having an impurity level of greater than or equal to 200 ppm located atop the barrier layer.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a schematic pictorial representation illustrating an initial structure after electrodepositing copper containing layer having an impurity level of greater than or equal to 200 ppm on upper surface of the at least one metal diffusion barrier layer.    Semiconductor substrate (10)    Positive-type semiconductor portion (10A)    Negative-type semiconductor portion (10B)    Patterned anti-reflective coatings (14)    Diffusion barrier layer (18)