TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The method (M1) further comprises forming a n-type transparent semiconductor layer overlying the absorber layer, followed by forming a second electrode layer. In the method (M1), the step of forming the first electrode layer comprises sputtering, physical vapor deposition or vacuum evaporation; the shaped substrate member is rotated to allow the surface region to be exposed to at least one target; the step of forming the precursor layer comprises sputtering, physical vapor deposition or evaporation, in association with a copper target or a copper-gallium alloy target and a pure indium target; the shaped substrate member is kept at a temperature less than 200 degrees C when forming the precursor layer; the step of forming the sodium bearing layer comprises using a sputtering process with a sodium bearing target having a uniform composition of a sodium species distributed within a host material; the step of forming the sodium-bearing layer is carried out in a separated compartment within the first chamber; the gas-phase selenium species comprises hydrogen selenide or elemental selenium gas released into the second chamber before the temperature is raised to above 450 degrees C for a predetermined period of time; and the second chamber is configured to load the shaped substrate member in a vertical direction with respect to the gravity. The method (M2) further comprises: transferring the shaped substrate member to an environment comprising dry air or dry nitrogen; and depositing a sodium species after forming the first precursor layer by using an in-chamber sputtering process. In the method (M2): the sputtering process for forming the first precursor layer or the second precursor layer is performed under a temperature less than 200 degrees C; and the thermal process is performed with a pressure of 600 torr in the environment of the gas-phase selenium species and a temperature of 450 degrees C. The mechanical motions comprise rotation, shift, twist or shaking. The thermal treatment process comprises using nitrogen gas, argon gas or helium gas as a carrier gas in the second chamber. Preferred Components: The shaped substrate member comprises at least one glass, soda-lime glass, acrylic glass, plastic, flexible foil or polymer. The barrier layer comprises at least one silicon oxide, silicon nitride and titanium nitride of a thickness of 500 Angstrom . At least one target comprises a molybdenum species. The precursor layer comprises a multilayered structure having a series of copper layer/indium-layer combinations formed by sequentially sputtering the copper target and the indium target. The precursor layer comprises at least a copper-gallium alloy layer and an indium layer abutting a sodium bearing layer having a second amount of sodium species. The first chamber comprises a vacuum with a pressure set to be lower than 10-3 microbar, supported by a cryogenic pump or polycold system for attracting water vapor. The second electrode layer comprises zinc oxide formed by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The first electrode layer is a bi-layer structure of molybdenum comprising a tensile stressed under layer overlying the barrier layer and a compressive stressed upper layer. In the method (M2): the absorber layer comprises chalcopyrite CIS/CIGS film having an average sodium concentration of 5x 1019 atoms/cm3 after a thermal treatment process. In the method (M1): the absorber layer comprises chalcopyrite CIS/CIGS film having an average sodium atomic density of 5x 1019 atoms/cm3 throughout the absorber layer after thermal treatment of the precursor layer. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.