The new record is about 60 percent higher than the equivalent efficiency of commercial thin-film photovoltaics that are made of amorphous silicon.
Efficiency is a measure of the amount of sunlight a solar device converts to electricity.
Rannels said that while the recent achievement is significant, it will take several more years for the CIGS technology to become commercially available. He said the photovoltaics industry is making strong progress toward large-volume production. Development of CIGS will make solar an option for countries like the U.S. where photovoltaics must compete with inexpensive utility electricity. Most existing photovoltaics are used in developing countries where access to electricity is minimal.