TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: In the device (D1), n-CIS compounds include compounds with copper indium selenide of formulae (CuIn2Se3.5), (CuIn3Se5), (CuIn4Se6.5) or (CuIn5Se8) stoichiometries. In the device (D1), the mid-gap semiconducting component(s) is (are) selenium, copper(I) oxide, gallium selenide, copper iodide triselenide, copper indium selenide iodide of formula (CuIn2Se3I), cadmium selenide, indium(III) selenide, copper(I) iodide, silver iodide, copper(I) bromide, copper(I) cyanide or copper(I) thiocyanate materials. In the device (D1): the n-CIS compounds are in the form of nanoparticles, having various stoichiometries and band gaps; the n-CIS nanoparticles have multi-band gaps; and the nanoparticles are surface engineered and are combined with the window component to form a blend, where the blend is laminated between positive and negative contact materials. In the device (D1), a suitable hole transfer layer is interposed between the blend and negative contact, and an electron transfer layer is interposed between the blend and the positive contact. In the device (D1): the CIS nanoparticles are synthesized by using an inverted micelle technique; the CIS nanoparticle size is controlled by the micelle size and composition is controlled by adjusting copper:indium:selenide ratio in the solution with a reducing agent and a complexing agent; and the n-CIS component includes extrinsic dopant elements comprising groups IIB or IIIA. The device (D1) is combined with additional devices to form a multijunction device comprising multiple stacked subcells, each absorbing light in different regions of the solar spectrum. The device (D1) comprises a nanoscale blend of photosensitive organic donor-acceptor complexes and a conducting polymer matrix. The nanoparticles of CIS material are multi-band gap and multi-size. The n-CIS compounds are in the form of quantum well structures and quantum dots. The organic semiconductor is p-doped with dopants including copper(II) phthalocyanine, iodine (I2), phosphorus pentafluoride, tetrafluoroborate, sulfonic acid and carbon nanotubes. In the device (D1), the mid-gap layer includes n-type material, contiguous with the primary light absorbing component. In the device (D1), the primary light absorbing component is contiguous with a steel substrate. In the device (D2): the n-CIS absorber component is deposited on a textured substrate; the n-CIS absorber component is electrodeposited from a solution containing copper ion, indium(III) ion, selenium ion (Se+4); and the n-CIS absorber component is annealed using rapid thermal processing. The device (D2) further comprises an intermediary component between the absorber and the window components. The device (D2) comprises at least one subcell in a multijunction device comprising multiple sub-cells, each absorbing light in different regions of the solar spectrum. The device (D2) is used in a superstrate configuration, where the device is illuminated through the transparent superstrate, contiguous with a current collector material providing ohmic contact to the window component.