A solar cell uses a sliver of a silicon wafer as a substrate. The sliver has a front side that faces the sun during normal operation. The front side of the sliver includes a surface from along a thickness of the wafer, allowing for more efficient use of silicon. Metal contacts are formed on the back side of the sliver. The metal contacts electrically connect to the emitter and base of the solar cell, which may be formed within the sliver or be made of polysilicon. The emitter of the solar cell may be a P-type doped region and the base of the solar cell may be an N-type doped region, for example. The solar cell may include an anti-reflective coating formed on the front side of the sliver. The anti-reflective coating may be over a textured surface on the front side of the sliver.