Hot melt etch resist is selectively applied to an anti-reflective coating or a selective emitter on a semiconductor wafer. The exposed portions of the anti-reflective coating or selective emitter are etched away using an inorganic acid containing etch to expose the semiconductor surface. The hot melt etch resist is then stripped from the semiconductor with an alkaline stripper which does not compromise the electrical integrity of the semiconductor. The exposed semiconductor is then metalized to form current tracks.