NOVELTY - The method involves laminating two solar cell wafers to two corresponding backplane sheets (42), respectively, where the backplane sheets are larger than the wafers and attached to release layers (44, 50) at an opposite side of the wafers. A periphery of the backplane sheets of backplane attached silicon solar cells (40, 46) is lamination bound. Single sided horizontal etching of the wafers is performed for thinning the wafers. The backplane sheets are cut to expose the release layer through mechanical or laser process. The solar cells are separated along a release layer interface.    USE - Method for manufacturing a thin film solar cell i.e. crystalline silicon solar cell such as mono crystalline silicon solar cell and multi-crystalline solar cell.    ADVANTAGE - The method enables utilizing a permanent backplane to provide mechanical support and electrical interconnection, and providing backplane supported back contact back junction structures for obtaining low cost high efficiency solar cells using thin film absorbers, and achieving preservation of active backplane surfaces and the solar cell and backplane interface during wet etch processing. The method enables utilizing a symmetrical lamination stack with a center release sheet for providing concurrent solar cell processing for the two solar cells and a symmetrical and stress balanced solar cell component during subsequent lamination operation so as to mitigate cell bowing after processing, increase rigidity of the backplane for subsequent process, decrease laminate surface area and lamination parts interface exposed to wet chemistry in wet etch process, provide a handle at a cell perimeter for wafer handling and minimizing damage to the thin silicon perimeter, and increase through-put of parts at lamination and subsequent process. The method enables providing effective backplane protection during wet etching while increasing fabrication through-put, so that the lamination structure is symmetric from front to back, thus minimizing stress and bow after lamination and subsequent process as material is taken away or added to the exposed solar cell surface, and hence decreasing processing failures and improving manufacturing yield.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The backplane sheet is a prepreg sheet (48). An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also included for a thin film solar cell lamination stack.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a cross-sectional view of a representative backplane lamination material system stack lay-up.    Silicon solar cells (40, 46)    Backplane sheets (42)    Release layers (44, 50)    Prepreg sheet (48)    Pads (52, 54, 56, 58)