As major attention has been paid to solar cells with extremely thin absorber, present study embark on the structural, surface, optical and electrical characterization of spray deposited CuO absorber layers prepared using precursors of different concentrations at the constant substrate temperature of 350 degrees C. Confirmed monoclinic lattice and the Cu-O vibrational modes implied the tenorite phase formation of CuO. Smooth surface and the uniform distribution of a surface grain which contains Cu2+ as the main oxidation state of the cations established the suitability of the CuO thin films as energy absorbers. Optical absorption in selective regions, estimated optical bandgap and low intense photoluminescence peaks favored respectively the easy charge transfer and the light retaining capacity of the CuO films. Probably, a combination of electrical conduction with nanostructured CuO will be helpful for future developments of substrates for solar cells with CuO as absorber layers. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.