The invention concerns a solar cell (1) and a method for making same, said solar cell (1) comprising on its rear surface (3) both the emission contact (43) and the base contact (45), those two contacts (43, 45) being electrically isolated from each other by flanks (5) whereof the metal coating has been removed. The emitting zones (4) of the rear surface (3) of the cell are connected by channels to the transmitter (9) of the front face (8) of the cell. The emitting zones (4) of the rear surface (3) of the cell and the channels (7) consist of a laser. The metal coating of the side walls is removed by selective etching, said metal coating being removed only in the zone of the flanks (5) where the etching barrier layer (11) is insufficient.