Photovoltaic cell having a coupled expanded metal article

A method comprises providing an expanded metal article having a plurality of first segments intersecting a plurality of second segments thereby forming a plurality of openings. The expanded metal article has a surface comprising a plurality of solder pads. A semiconductor material with a top surface and a bottom surface is provided, the bottom surface having a plurality of silver pads and the top surface serving as a light-incident surface of the photovoltaic cell. At a plurality of soldering locations, a majority of the plurality of solder pads on the surface of the expanded metal article is electrically coupled with the plurality of silver pads on the bottom surface of the semiconductor material. Also disclosed is a photovoltaic cell resulting from this method.