US Patent 7906366 Printing mask and solar cell

A printing mask includes a mask frame and a mesh extended on the mask frame, in which a mask portion is formed by filling the mesh with resin to leave a pattern forming portion in a region corresponding to an electrode pattern to be formed on a printing object. The mask portion has a raised part on a surface of the mesh to be opposed to the printing object. The thickness of the raised part is such that a difference in average film thickness between the end and other parts of the electrode pattern formed with the printing mask is equal to or less than 5 micrometers.