Copper　indium　gallium　selenium　(CIGS)　based　solar　cells　were　thin　film　solar　cells　with　high　conversion　efficiency.　The　conversion　efficiency　of　CIGS　solar　cells　prepared　in　the　laboratory　reached　22.9%,　which　was　close　to　the　highest　conversion　efficiency　of　crystal　silicon　solar　cells.　At　the　same　time,　CIGS　cells　also　had　the　advantages　of　high　absorption　coefficient,　low　manufacturing　cost,　and　wide　application.　However,　in　large-scale　commercial　production,　CIGS　solar　cells　were　still　far　from　silicon-based　solar　cells　in　terms　of　efficiency　and　stability.　Further　improving　the　efficiency　of　CIGS　solar　cells,　expanding　the　scale　of　cells　industrialization　and　optimizing　their　performance　were　the　only　way　for　the　future　development　of　CIGS　solar　cells.　The　main　achievements　of　the　current　development　of　CIGS　solar　cells　were　mainly　due　to　people＇s　understanding　of　CIGS　materials　and　device　principles.　In　this　paper,　the　potential　and　advantages　of　CIGS　solar　cells　as　a　hot　spot　and　recent　research　progresses　on　CIGS　solar　cells　were　reviewed,　including　the　improvement　of　buffer　layer,　absorption　layer　and　window　layer,　as　well　as　the　treatment　methods　between　the　layers.　The　development　of　these　technologies　improved　the　conversion　efficiency　of　CIGS　solar　cells　and　promoted　its　industrialization.　At　the　same　time,　the　related　problems　in　the　future　development　of　cells　and　the　solutions　were　discussed.　©　Editorial　Office　of　Chinese　Journal　of　Rare　Metals.　All　right　reserved.