A method for producing a crystalline solar cell having a p-doped silicon substrate with an n-doped region on the front side and also at least one antireflection layer is provided. The method includes uniformly applying a solution containing phosphoric acid to the entire front-side surface of the solar cell, forming phosphosilicate glass in a first thermal treatment step applied to the solar cell, and, in the first thermal treatment step or a subsequent thermal treatment step, forming silicon-containing precipitates near the surface with a homogeneous or substantially homogeneous surface coverage in a layer on the front-side surface of the substrate in the range of between 5% and 100%.