NOVELTY - The method comprises: providing a solar cell substrate having a plating base on a portion of a surface of the substrate; forming a first resist layer on a side of the solar cell substrate and patterning the first resist layer to form first openings which expose a portion of the plating base; forming a conductive seed layer on a top of the patterned first resist layer and on the portions of the plating base which are exposed by the first openings; electroplating a first metal or metal alloy layer (207) onto the conductive seed layer; and etching away an amount of the first metal layer.    USE - The method is useful for metallization of a solar cell substrate (claimed) such as solar silicon wafer.    ADVANTAGE - The method is capable of electroplating the metal or metal alloy onto one or both sides of the solar cell substrate, thus resulting in narrow and homogeneous thickness distribution of plated conducting lines, contact pads and solder pads.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The method comprises: providing a solar cell substrate having a plating base on a portion of a surface of the substrate; forming a first resist layer on a side of the solar cell substrate and patterning the first resist layer to form first openings which expose a portion of the plating base; forming a conductive seed layer on a top of the patterned first resist layer and on the portions of the plating base which are exposed by the first openings; electroplating a first metal or metal alloy layer (207) onto the conductive seed layer; etching away an amount of the first metal or metal alloy layer sufficient to remove the first metal or metal alloy layer from the patterned first resist layer leaving a patterned first metal or metal alloy layer in the first openings; etching away the conductive seed layer from the patterned first resist layer; and removing the patterned first resist layer. The plating base comprises doped silicon, metal silicides, thin metal or metal alloy layers, and transparent conductive oxides, with a provisio that metal silicides are only selected for silicon-based solar cell substrates. The first resist layer is deposited onto the whole substrate including the edges and side walls of the substrate. The conductive seed layer is formed by electroless plating of a metal or metal alloy. A second metal or metal alloy layer is deposited into second openings formed by a second resist layer formed on a portion of the first metal or metal alloy layer, between the step for forming first metal or metal alloy layer and the step of etching away the first metal or metal alloy layer. A cap layer is deposited onto the patterned first metal or metal alloy layer. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a solar cell.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a schematic view illustrating a method for depositing a patterned first metal or metal alloy layer on one side of a silicon substrate.    Metal or metal alloy layer. (207)