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The modeling, growth, and characterization of Copper Oxide thin films for solar cell applications are reported. CU20 has several attractive properties which include its direct band gap (Eg=2.17 eV) for use in photoelectrolysis of water and use in tandem multi-junction cells. Detailed balance calculations predict efficiencies on the order of 200/0 while CU20 cells have yet to even pass 20/0 efficiency. The device physics model reveals that defects, particularly at the heterojunction interface, are the main reason for lowered efficiencies. Epitaxial CU20 (100) thin films on MgO are fabricated using RF Oxygen plasma MBE. The films are quite smooth and showed mobilites in the range of 10-100 cm 2N*sec and carrier concentrations in the range of 10 14_1017 . Finally, the epitaxial growth of CU20 on a MgO template is demonstrated.