TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - The absorber layer comprises non-silicon absorber layer or amorphous silicon absorber layer, where absorber layer includes inorganic materials selected from titania, nanocrystalline titania, zinc oxide, oxides of copper, zirconium oxide, lanthanum oxide, niobium oxide, tin oxide, indium oxide, indium tin oxide, vanadium oxide, molybdenum oxide, tungsten oxide, strontium oxide, calcium/titanium oxide, sodium titanate, potassium niobate, cadmium selenide, cadmium sulfide, copper sulfide, cadmium telluride and/or semiconductive material. The diffusion barrier layer includes chromium, vanadium, tungsten, glass, nitrides, tantalum nitride, tungsten nitride, titanium nitride, zirconium nitride, hafnium nitride, silicon nitride, oxides and/or carbides. The electrically conductive metal layer comprises of molybdenum, copper, silver, aluminum and niobium.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - METALLURGY - The absorber layer includes inorganic materials selected from cadmium-tellurium selenide, copper-indium selenide, cadmium oxide, CuI, CuSCN, and/or semiconductive material.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - The absorber layer includes organic materials selected from derivatives of conjugated polymer and poly(phenylene); derivatives of poly(phenylene vinylene) e.g. poly(2-methoxy-5-(2-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene, poly(para-phenylene vinylene) (PPV)), PPV copolymers; derivatives of poly(thiophene) e.g. poly(3-octylthiophene-2,5-diyl), regioregular, poly(3-octylthiophene-2,5,-diyl), regiorandom, poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl), regioregular, poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl), regiorandom; poly(thienylenevinylene), poly(isothianaphthene), 2,2'7,7'tetrakis(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenyl-amine)-9,9'-spirobifluor- ene(spiro-Me OTAD), organometallic polymers, polymers containing perylene units, poly(squaraines) and their derivatives, and discotic liquid crystals, organic pigments or dyes, ruthenium-based dye, liquid iodide/triiodide electrolyte, azo-dyes having azo chromophores (-N=N-) linking aromatic groups, phthalocyanines including metal-free phthalocyanine; (HPc), perylene and derivatives, copper phthalocyanines (CuPc), zinc phthalocyanines (ZnPc), naphthalocyanines, squaraines, merocyanines and derivatives, poly(silanes), poly(germinates), 2,9-di(pent-3-yl)-anthra(2,1,9-def:6,5,10-d'e'f')diisoquinoline-1,3,8,10-tetrone, and 2,9-bis-(1-hexyl-hept-1-yl)-anthra(2,1,9-def:6,5,10-d'e'f')diisoquinoline-1,3,8,10-tetrone and pentacene, pentacene derivatives and/or precursors, N-type ladder polymer and/or poly(benzimidazobenzophenanthroline ladder). The absorber layer includes materials selected from oligomeric 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.