The selective emitter technology is the most effective method to improve the silicon solar cell performance. However, the strict alignment requirements between the Ag gridlines and the selective emitters should be addressed. In the present study, a novel front metal contact patterning scheme for crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells is developed. An intersected selective laser doping process is applied. The control experiment indicates that the best efficiency increases for similar to 23.8% from similar to 14.39% to similar to 17.74% after receiving the laser doping process. Moreover, our laser doping process does not affect the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current significantly and the emitter properties have not been degraded in terms of the emitter saturation current. The improved front metal contact results in the improved energy conversion efficiency. The developed process offers an elegant and reliable approach for the low-cost, high throughput industrial-scale production process. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.