TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Components: Some of the protruded surface portions has flat top surface. The transparent layer includes transparent buffer layer on absorber layer, and transparent conductive layer (13) on transparent buffer layer. Preferred Properties: The insulating buffer layer has bulk resistivity of greater than 1000 Omega /cm and is 10-200 nm thick. Preferred Methods: The method includes forming Group IBIIIAVIA absorber layer over the contact layer, forming transparent layer on Group IBIIIAVIA absorber layer, and forming terminal including bus bars and conductive fingers on transparent layer. The forming of Group IBIIIAVIA absorber layer comprises electrodepositing a precursor layer containing copper, indium, and gallium; and reacting precursor layer in presence of selenium and/or sulfur at 350-600 degrees C. The depositing of high resistivity material comprises spinning, rolling, dipping, and doctor-blading. The method includes planarizing buffer layer to expose some of the protruded surface portions, and depositing conductive material on buffer layer and on some exposed protruded surface portion. The forming of Group IBIIIAVIA absorber layer comprises electrodepositing precursor layer containing copper, indium, and gallium; and reacting precursor layer in presence of selenium and/or sulfur at 350-600 degrees C. The planarizing of buffer layer comprises chemical mechanical polishing or mechanical polishing.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The insulating buffer layer comprises oxide. The contact layer and conductive material comprise tungsten, tantalum, molybdenum, titanium, chromium, ruthenium, iridium, or osmium. The transparent buffer layer is cadmium sulfide and/or indium sulfide. The transparent conductive layer is zinc oxide, indium tin oxide, or indium zinc oxide. The high resistivity material comprises silicon dioxide.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - METALLURGY - Preferred Components: The conductive substrate is stainless-steel.