NOVELTY - Forming a contact structure on a solar cell having a p-n junction formed between a first semiconductor region of a first dopant polarity and a second semiconductor region of a second dopant polarity opposite to the first dopant polarity, involves plating metal pads comprising a low-melting temperature metal having a melting temperature less than 150 degrees C onto points on an exposed semiconductor surface of the solar cell to form a first contact points, where the first contact points provide an electrical connection to the first semiconductor region.    USE - The methods are useful for forming contact structure on solar cell having p-n junction formed between first semiconductor region of first dopant polarity and second semiconductor region of second dopant polarity opposite to first dopant polarity; and for interconnecting array of solar cells (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The use of various forms of the contact methodology potentially allows the following advantages over conventional solar cells: (1) process steps and cost associated with front surface screen printed metallisation are avoided; (2) expensive high temperature processing steps are avoided; (3) the cost of expensive metals such as silver and copper is either eliminated or drastically reduced; (4) the process complication associated with interconnection of high efficiency selective emitter cell technology is avoided; (5) toxic lead based solders are avoided, as are the high temperatures needed for solder based interconnection along with associated yield loss; (6) toxic lead based cell metallization is avoided; (7) high efficiency is achieved via higher device currents and higher fill factor and higher voltage; (8) excellent plated channel adhesion (if plating is used) due to very thin (less than 2 micron) metal layers; (9) if plating is used, there is no need for nickel sintering, formation of silicide barrier layers or protective capping layers, because there is no use of copper which can diffuse into the solar cell causing defects or into the module materials causing degradation; and (10) any cell metallization and interconnection is self-aligning.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Forming a contact structure on a solar cell having a p-n junction formed between a first semiconductor region of a first dopant polarity and a second semiconductor region of a second dopant polarity opposite to the first dopant polarity, involves plating metal pads comprising a low-melting temperature metal having a melting temperature less than 150 degrees C onto points on an exposed semiconductor surface of the solar cell to form a first contact points, where the first contact points provide an electrical connection to the first semiconductor region. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for: less than LISTN greater than a solar cell assembly comprising a solar cell having p-n junction formed between a first semiconductor region of a first dopant polarity and an second semiconductor region of a second dopant polarity opposite to the first dopant polarity, a first contact points providing electrical connection to the first semiconductor region, the first contact points being either exposed silicon surfaces or silicon surfaces over which metal pads having a thickness of less than 5 microns are located, and a conducting wires laid across the solar cell, where each of the conducting wires makes electrical connection to at least one of the first contact points; or a solar cell assembly comprising a solar cell having p-n junction formed between a first semiconductor region of a first dopant polarity and an second semiconductor region of a second dopant polarity opposite to the first dopant polarity, a first contact points providing electrical connection to the first semiconductor region, where the first contact points include metal pads, comprising a low-melting temperature metal having a melting temperature of less than 150 degrees C, located over a points on the solar cell to provide electrical connection to the first semiconductor region, and a conducting wires laid across the solar cell to make electrical connection to at least one of the first contact points; #an interconnected linear array of solar cells comprising a contact structure located on each solar cell in the array, each solar cell having a p-n junction formed between a first semiconductor region of a first dopant polarity and a second semiconductor region of a second dopant polarity opposite to the first dopant polarity, including: (i) a first contact points located in one or more spaced parallel linear arrays on a surface of each solar cell, where the contact points make electrical connection to the first semiconductor region and are either exposed silicon surfaces or silicon surfaces over which metal pads are located having a thickness of less than 5 microns; and (ii) a second contact points in one or more spaced linear arrays parallel to the spaced linear arrays of first contact points on the same surface of each solar cell as the first contact points, where the second contact points make electrical connection to the second semiconductor region and are either exposed silicon surfaces or silicon surfaces over which metal pads are located having a thickness of less than 5 microns, the linear array of solar cells being arranged with the spaced linear arrays of first contact points of one solar cell of the array each aligned with respective spaced linear arrays of second contact points of solar cells adjacent to the one solar cell; a first conducting wires positioned over the array of solar cells, where each of the first conducting wires passes over the first contact points of one of the spaced linear arrays of first contact points of the one solar cell to make electrical connection to at least one of the first contact points of the one solar cell and every alternate solar cell in the array relative to the one solar cell; a second conducting wires positioned over the array of solar cells, where each of the second conducting wires passes over the second contact points of one of the spaced linear arrays of second contact points of the one solar cell to make electrical connection to one or more of the second contact points of the respective spaced linear array of second contact points of the one solar cell and every alternate solar cell in the array relative to the one solar cell; and the first conducting wires of the one solar cell comprise the second conducting wires of the solar cells adjacent to the one solar cell and every alternate solar cell in the array relative to the adjacent solar cells and the second wires of the one solar cell comprise the first conducting wires of the adjacent solar cells and every alternate solar cell in the array relative to the adjacent solar cells; and#a method of interconnecting an array of solar cells.