NOVELTY - The photovoltaic device comprises a semiconductor substrate (10) including a p-n junction with a p-type semiconductor portion and an n-type semiconductor portion one on top of the other, where an upper exposed surface of one of the semiconductor portions represents a front side surface of the semiconductor substrate, patterned antireflective coatings (14') on the front side surface of the semiconductor substrate, a multi-metal semiconductor alloy layer (18), and a copper-containing layer (22) located a top of the multi-metal semiconductor alloy layer.    USE - Used as a photovoltaic device such as a solar cell.    ADVANTAGE - The photovoltaic device can be simply, efficiently and economically manufactured with high performance and throughput and long lifespan.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The photovoltaic device comprises a semiconductor substrate (10) including a p-n junction with a p-type semiconductor portion and an n-type semiconductor portion one on top of the other, where an upper exposed surface of one of the semiconductor portions represents a front side surface of the semiconductor substrate, patterned antireflective coatings (14') on the front side surface of the semiconductor substrate, a multi-metal semiconductor alloy layer (18), and a copper-containing layer (22) located a top of the multi-metal semiconductor alloy layer. The patterned antireflective coatings protect some portions of the front side surface of the semiconductor substrate while leaving other portions of the front side surface of the semiconductor substrate exposed, and other portions of the front side surface of the semiconductor substrate that are exposed form a grid pattern on the front side surface. The multi-metal semiconductor alloy layer: is located on the other portions of the front side surface of the semiconductor substrate that are exposed; and comprises a first elemental metal that forms an alloys with a semiconductor material at a first anneal temperature and a second elemental metal that differs from the first elemental metal and that does not form an alloy with a semiconductor material at the first anneal temperature. The n-type semiconductor portion overlies the p-type semiconductor portion. The photovoltaic device further comprises a metal diffusion barrier layer (20) located between the multi-metal semiconductor alloy layer and the copper containing layer. The multi-metal semiconductor alloy layer has a ratio of a first elemental metal to a second elemental metal of 10000:1-1:100. The semiconductor substrate is a component of a solar cell.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a schematic view of a structure of a solar cell.    Semiconductor substrate (10)    Patterned antireflective coatings (14')    Multi-metal semiconductor alloy layer (18)    Metal diffusion barrier layer (20)    Copper-containing layer. (22)