Patent claim: A method for forming a chalcogenide semiconductor film 1220 characterized by coating a precursor solution to form a layer on a substrate the precursor solution including a solvent 220 420 metal chalcogenide nanoparticles 210 310 410 and at least one of metal ions 240 340 450 and metal complex ions 240 330 440 which are distributed on surfaces of the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles 210 310 410 and annealing the layer to form the chalcogenide semiconductor film 1220 wherein metals of the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles 210 310 410 the metal ions 240 340 450 and the metal complex ions 240 330 440 are selected from a group consisted of group I group II group III and group IV elements of the periodic table and include all metal elements of a chalcogenide semiconductor material.

Related passage: The method of preparing a Group 1a1b3a6a material comprises providing a substrate optionally providing a Group 1a source comprising sodium providing aseleniumGroup 1b ink of the present invention providing a Group 3a source optionally providing a Group 6a source forming at least one Group 1a1b3a6a precursor material on the substrate by optionally using the Group 1a source to apply sodium to the substrate using the seleniumGroup 1b source to apply selenium and a Group 1b material to the substrate wherein the Group 1b material selected from copper and silver preferably copper using the Group 3a source to apply a Group 3a material to the substrate optionally using the Group 6a source to apply at least one of sulfur and selenium to the substrate treating the precursor material to form a Group 1a1b3a6a material having a formula NaLXmYnSpSeq wherein X is at least one Group 1b material selected from copper and silver preferably copper Y is at least one Group 3a material selected from aluminum gallium and indium preferably indium and gallium 0L0.75 0.25m1.5 n is 1 0p lt 2.5 and 0 lt q2.5.Preferably 0.5Lm1.5 and 1.8pq2.5.Preferably Y is In1bGab wherein 0b1.More preferably the Group 1a1b3a6a material is according to the formula NaLCumIn1dGadS2e1fSe2ef wherein 0L0.75 0.25m1.5 0d1 0.2e0.5 0 lt f1 wherein 0.5Lm1.5 and 1.82ef2e1f2.5.Optionally one or more of the Group 1a source the seleniumGroup 1b ink the Group 3a source and the Group 6a source of the present invention are combined before application to the substrate.The components of the precursor material can be treated by known methods to form the Group 1a1b3a6a material having formula NaLXmYnSpSeq.The components of the precursor material can be treated individually or in various combinations.Annealing temperatures for the deposited components can range from 200 to 650C with annealing times of 0.5 to 60 minutes.Optionally additional Group 6a material can be introduced during the annealing process in the form of at least one of a selenium ink selenium vapor selenium powder hydrogen selenide gas sulfur powder and hydrogen sulfide gas.The precursor materials can optionally be heated to the annealing temperature by use of a rapid thermal processing protocol such as with the use of a highpowered quartz lamp a laser or microwave heating methods.The precursor materials can optionally be heated to the annealing temperature using traditional heating methods for example in a furnace.