A solar cell is provided with a hetero-junction front structure (e.g., P/N or P/I/N) and is further provided in a back portion of thereof with a passivation layer having a plurality of openings defined therethrough. A BSF-forming binder material and a back face electrode are provided contacting the back surface and are fired to thereby bind the back face electrode to the structure and to form a BSF region extending from the openings of the passivation layer.