TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INDUSTRIAL STANDARDS - Preferred Method: In forming the sputtering target, the backing structure comprises a planar support plate or a hollow support tube; and the barrier layer is formed between the sputtering layer and the backing structure. The method further comprises forming the barrier layer by depositing the second material onto the backing structure, where the depositing is done by sputtering or thermal spraying. The method as well comprises: providing a barrier foil; attaching the barrier foil to the backing structure to form the barrier layer; and hot pressing the first material to the barrier layer to form the sputtering layer and to bond the barrier layer to the backing structure. The first material comprises 0.5-10 wt.% sodium, 0-50 wt.% oxygen and balance molybdenum. Alternatively, forming the sputtering target, comprises: forming a sputtering layer comprising a first material which comprises an alkali-containing transition metal directly on a second material of a support structure, where the support structure comprises a barrier layer comprising the second material formed on a backing structure of a third material that is different from the second material; where the method further comprises: providing a barrier foil; attaching the barrier foil to the backing structure to form the barrier layer; and hot pressing the first material to the barrier layer to form the sputtering layer and to bond the barrier layer to the backing structure; where: the second material does not negatively impact a performance of the CIS based semiconductor absorber layer of a solar cell; the barrier layer is capable of blocking diffusion of atoms from the backing structure into the sputtering layer; the backing structure comprises a planar support plate or a hollow support tube; and the barrier layer is formed between the sputtering layer and the backing structure. The first material comprises the transition metal selected from Mo, W, Ta, V, Ti, Nb, Zr and alloys, and the alkali metal selected from Li, Na and K. Making the solar cell comprises: depositing the first electrode over the substrate; depositing the p-type semiconductor absorber layer over the first electrode; depositing the n-type semiconductor layer over the p-type semiconductor absorber layer; and depositing the second electrode over the n-type semiconductor layer. The support structure comprises a barrier layer comprising the second material formed on a backing structure of a third material that is different from the second material; and the barrier layer blocks diffusion of the atoms which negatively impact the performance of the CIS based alloy material from the backing structure into the sputtering layer such that the atoms which negatively impact the performance of the CIS based alloy material are not incorporated into the alkali containing transition metal layer of the first electrode during the step of sputtering the first electrode and do not diffuse from the first electrode into the p-type semiconductor absorber layer. The backing structure comprises a planar support plate or a hollow support tube; the barrier layer is formed between the sputtering layer and the backing structure; the first material comprises a transition metal selected from Mo, W, Ta, V, Ti, Nb, Zr and alloys, and an alkali metal selected from Li, Na, and K; the second material is selected from Mo, W, Ta, V, Ti, Nb, Zr, alloys and nitrides; the backing structure comprises stainless steel; and the barrier layer is capable of blocking diffusion of at least one of Fe, Ni or Cr atoms which negatively impact the performance of the CIS based semiconductor absorber layer from the stainless steel toward the sputtering layer. The support structure comprises a backing structure comprising the second material, and where the sputtering layer comprises a sputtering material. The first material comprises the transition metal selected from Mo, W, Ta, V, Ti, Nb, Zr and alloys, and the alkali metal selected from Li, Na and K. The first material comprises 0.5 to 10 wt % sodium, 0-50 wt % oxygen and balance molybdenum; and the alkali-containing transition metal layer of the first electrode comprises 0.5-10 wt.% sodium, 0-50 wt.% oxygen and balance molybdenum.