Japan steel plate and Industrial Science and Technology Research Institute (hereinafter referred to as middle class & Research Institute) used a newly developed low-cost metal chassis, tried out CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide) solar cells,such as inspiron 710m battery and inspiron 6000 battery , its conversion efficiency is high as 16.7%. Japan Steel plans to enable the development of metal around the bottom to achieve commercialization in 2011.

Conversion efficiency of CIGS solar cells on thin-film type solar cell is higher, the two companies expect the solar cell can be a crystalline silicon solar cells, following after the new battery. Film CIGS solar cells can be made into softness of the solar cells, developing a film on the metal chassis technology. It is reported that previous studies mostly hard metal floor of the CIGS solar inspiron e1705 akku have a negative impact of the titanium foil and the molybdenum foil-based, but there is a large area material supply and cost issues in such bottom . To address these issues, the two companies also consider to use low-cost stainless steel foil, but the high temperature film solar cells, the metal chassis of the elements can spread to the CIGS layer, so there is serious impact on power generation efficiency.

The Japan Steel has developed a steel foil-based thin metal floor ,its cost may be lower than the low-carbon steel stainless . low-carbon steel titanium foil is less than the original price of 1 / 10, and it is about half of stainless steel foil and polyimide film about 1 / 4.

For the effect on the efficiency of CIGS solar inspiron 1525 battery elements of proliferation, the two companies go through the formation of an independent film surface treatment to control. The surface treatment film can be film in the atmosphere,and can support low-cost technology.

The conversion efficiency of CIGS solar cells reached the highest level of global ,production capacity & Research Institute had been promoting the metal chassis-based flexible solar cells development. In addition, also working on the development of large area modules. Japan steel production & Research Institute use the development of low-cost film with a surface treatment of metal chassis prototype CIGS solar cells,such as inspiron 1520 battery,the small area unit conversion efficiency is up to 16.7% (intrinsic conversion efficiency, cell power generation area of about 0.5cm2). The conversion efficiency “is used when the high efficiency of low-cost floor” (two companies).