A method of making group IB-IIIA-VIA compund semiconductor films and method of fabricating a photovoltaic device

• Main Authors: LEIDHOLM, CRAIG R, KAPUR, VIJAY K, BASOL, BULENT M, HALANI, ARVIND T, ROE, ROBERT A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 02.12.1998
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

A method of forming a compound film includes the steps of preparing a source material, depositing the source material on a base to form a precursor film, and heating the precursor film in a suitable atmosphere to form a film. The source material includes Group IB-IIIA alloy-containing particles having at least one Group IB-IIIA alloy phase, with Group IB-IIIA alloys constituting greater than about 50 molar percent of the Group IB elements and greater than about 50 molar percent of the Group IIIA elements in the source material. The film, then, includes a Group IB-IIIA-VIA compound. The molar ratio of Group IB to Group IIIA elements in the source material may be greater than about 0.80 and less than about 1.0, or substantially greater than 1.0, in which case this ratio in the compound film may be reduced to greater than about 0.80 and less than about 1.0. The source material may be prepared as an ink from particles in powder form. The alloy phase may include a dopant. Compound films including a Group IIB-IVA-VA compound or a Group IB-VA-VIA compound may be substituted using appropriate substitutions in the method. The method, also, is applicable to fabrication of solar cells and other electronic devices.