Patent ID: 8563088

Claim:
A method for preparing a Group 1a-1b-3a-6a material, comprising: providing a substrate; optionally, providing a Group 1a source comprising sodium; providing a selenium/Group 1b ink, comprising, as initial components: a selenium component comprising selenium; an organic chalcogenide component having a formula selected from the group consisting of RZ—Z′R′ and R 2 —SH; wherein Z and Z′ are each independently selected from the group consisting of sulfur, selenium and tellurium; wherein R is selected from the group consisting of H, C 1-20 alkyl group, a C 6-20 aryl group, a C 1-20 alkylhydroxy group, an arylether group and an alkylether group; wherein R′ and R 2 are selected from the group consisting of a C 1-20 alkyl group, a C 6-20 aryl group, a C 1-20 alkylhydroxy group, an arylether group and an alkylether group; a Group 1b component, comprising at least one Group 1b material selected from the group consisting of copper and silver complexed with a multidentate ligand; wherein the Group 1b component comprises a copper (II) complex and a multidentate ligand selected from the group consisting of diethylenetriamine; tris(2-aminoethyl)amine; triethylenetetramine; tetraethylenepentamine and tetramethylguanidine; a liquid carrier, wherein the liquid carrier is selected from the group consisting of ethylene diamine; diethylenetriamine; tris(2-aminoethyl)amine; triethylenetetramine; n-butylamine; n-hexylamine; octylamine; 2-ethyl-1-hexylamine; 3-amino-1-propanol; 1,3-diaminopropane; 1,2-diaminopropane; 1,2-diaminocyclohexane; pyridine; pyrrolidine; 1-methylimidazole; tetramethylguanidine and mixtures thereof; wherein the selenium/Group 1b ink is stable; wherein the selenium and the Group 1b material do not form a precipitate during storage of the selenium/Group 1b ink at 22° C. under nitrogen for a period of at least sixteen (16) hours; providing a Group 3a source; optionally, providing a Group 6a source; forming at least one Group 1a-1b-3a-6a precursor material on the substrate by optionally using the Group 1a source to apply sodium to the substate; using the selenium/Group 1b source to apply selenium and a Group 1b material to the substrate; 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 1a-1b-3a-6a material having a formula Na L X m Y n S p Se q ; wherein X is at least one Group 1b element selected from the group consisting of copper and silver, Y is at least one Group 3a element selected the group consisting of aluminum, gallium and indium; 0≦L≦0.75; 0.25≦m≦1.5; n is 1; 0≦p<2.5; 0<q≦2.5; and, 1.8≦(p+q)≦2.5.