Patent ID: 8309163
Filing Date: 2012-11-13
Classification: C23C,H01L,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: forming a precursor material comprising group IB-chalcogenide and/or group IIIA-chalcogenide particles; forming a precursor layer of the precursor material over a surface of a substrate; and heating the particle precursor material in a substantially oxygen-free chalcogen atmosphere to a processing temperature sufficient to react the particles and to release chalcogen from the chalcogenide particles, wherein the chalcogen assumes a liquid form and acts as a flux to improve intermixing of elements to form a group IB-IIIA-chalcogenide film at a desired stoichiometric ratio; wherein the chalcogen atmosphere provides a partial pressure greater than or equal to the vapor pressure of liquid chalcogen in the precursor layer at the processing temperature; wherein at least one set of the particles in the precursor material are inter-metallic particles containing at least one group IB-IIIA inter-metallic alloy phase.