A photovoltaic device comprises a back reflective coating structure to provide back scattering of light that passes through the photovoltaic device, an absorber structure containing chalcogenide materials, and a top scattering antireflective structure deposited on the top subcell. Illustratively, a multi-junction structure comprises a bottom subcell deposited on the back reflective coating structure, the bottom subcell having a lower band gap, higher index material embedded therein, to provide lateral propagation of light that passes through the photovoltaic device, and a top subcell deposited on the bottom subcell. The multi-junction structure can comprise chalcogenide materials, in which case the top subcell is embedded with an intermediate band gap absorber material.