PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL WITH SURFACE PLASMON RESONANCE GENERATING NANO-STRUCTURES
A photovoltaic cell (100) is described comprising a semiconductor layer (102), preferably thin-film semiconducting layer, of a first conductivity type provided on a support substrate (104). A plasmon resonance generating metallic structure (106) is provided on the semiconductor layer for resonantly coupling light into the absorbing layer and transporting photo-induced charge carriers out of the absorbing layer, wherein the contact structure extends over a substantial part of the front side of the semiconductor layer and wherein the contact structure comprises a plurality of metallic finger in contact with the semiconductor layer, the dimensions of the cross-section of each strip being smaller than 300 nm.