NOVELTY - The photovoltaic device comprises a substrate (12) comprising an electrically conductive aluminum foil substrate, an electrically conductive diffusion barrier layer and an electrically conductive electrode layer above the diffusion barrier layer, an absorber layer (16) on the substrate, vias extending through the substrate and the absorber layer, an insulator layer and a conductive back plane, a transparent conducting layer disposed such that the absorber layer is present between the substrate and the conducting layer, and electrical contacts between the conducting layer and the back plane.    USE - The photovoltaic device is useful in a module (claimed), where the photovoltaic device is solar cell, or light-emitting devices such as organic light-emitting diodes.    ADVANTAGE - The photovoltaic device can be efficiently, rapidly and economically manufactured at high-throughput with lightweight and high flexibility.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The photovoltaic device comprises a substrate (12) comprising an electrically conductive aluminum foil substrate, an electrically conductive diffusion barrier layer and an electrically conductive electrode layer above the diffusion barrier layer, an absorber layer (16) on the substrate, vias extending through the substrate and the absorber layer, an insulator layer and a conductive back plane, a transparent conducting layer disposed such that the absorber layer is between the substrate and the conducting layer, and electrical contacts between the conducting layer and the back plane. The diffusion barrier layer prevents chemical interaction between the aluminum foil substrate and the electrode layer. Each of the vias is filled with an electrically conductive material having an electrically insulating material positioned to electrically insulate side walls of the vias. The absorber layer comprises a non-silicon absorber layer, and an amorphous silicon absorber layer. The absorber layer includes materials consisting of an oligimeric material, micro-crystalline silicon, inorganic nanorods dispersed in an organic matrix, inorganic tetrapods dispersed in an organic matrix, quantum dot materials, ionic conducting polymer gels, sol-gel nanocomposites containing an ionic liquid, ionic conductors, low molecular weight organic hole conductors, C60 and/or other small molecules. The absorber layer comprises a nanostructured layer having an inorganic porous template with pores filled by an organic material (doped or undoped), a polymer/blend cell architecture, and/or a micro-crystalline silicon cell architecture. The insulator layer is sandwiched between the substrate and the back plane. The electrical contacts are formed through the transparent conducting layer, the absorber layer, the substrate, and the insulating layer, and are electrically isolated from the absorber layer, the substrate, and the insulating layer. The insulating material of the electrically insulated side walls has a thickness of 10-200 microns. Each of the vias is sized to be 0.1-1.5 millimeters in diameter.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of a photovoltaic device.    Substrate (12)    Interfacial layer (13)    Base electrode (14)    Absorber layer (16)    Heating unit. (20)