NOVELTY - Manufacturing thin-film solar cell comprises: (a) providing an alkali-containing transition metal target; (b) depositing a first electrode comprising an alkali-containing transition metal layer over a substrate; (c) depositing a p-type semiconductor absorber layer over the first electrode; (d) depositing an n-type semiconductor layer over the p-type semiconductor absorber layer; and (e) depositing a second electrode over the n-type semiconductor layer.    USE - The method is useful for manufacturing a solar cell (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The alkali-containing transition metal layer provides an alkali source that may be controllably diffused to the CIS based layer. The amount of alkali in the first electrode and, in turn, in the CIS based layer can be tuned by controlling the salt deposited in the target. The metal selenide interfacial layer also improves the adhesion and provides a good ohmic contact between the alkali-containing transition metal layer and the CIS based layer.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Manufacturing thin-film solar cell comprises: (a) providing an alkali-containing transition metal target formed by applying a salt solution comprising an alkali metal to a target comprising a transition metal and drying the alkali-containing transition metal target; (b) depositing a first electrode comprising an alkali-containing transition metal layer over a substrate, where depositing the first electrode comprises sputtering from the alkali-containing transition metal target; (c) depositing a p-type semiconductor absorber layer over the first electrode, where the p-type semiconductor absorber layer includes a copper indium selenide (CIS) based alloy material; (d) depositing an n-type semiconductor layer over the p-type semiconductor absorber layer; and (e) depositing a second electrode over the n-type semiconductor layer. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for:    (1) a method of forming an alkali-containing transition metal sputtering target;    (2) a method of manufacturing a solar cell; and    (3) an alkali-containing transition metal sputtering target comprising: (a) a sputtering target comprising a transition metal; and (b) an alkali metal.