Patent ID: 8057865

Claim:
A method of forming a semiconductor film, comprising: coating or printing onto a substrate a composition that includes (i) a polysilane, a polygermane or a polysilagermane and (ii) a solvent in which the polysilane, polygermane or polysilagermane is soluble, wherein the polysilane, polygermane or polysilagermane consists essentially of blocks of â€”(AHR)â€”, â€”(â€”A k H 2k â€”)â€” and/or -(cyclo-A m H pmâˆ’2 Râ€² rm ) units, where each instance of A is independently Si or Ge; each instance of R and Râ€² is independently H or halogen, k is an integer of from 2 to 12, p is 1 or 2; (p+r)=2; m is independently an integer from 3 to 12 for each block, and the polysilane, polygermane or polysilagermane has at least 10 A atoms; irradiating said composition with UV radiation, simultaneously with or immediately subsequent to coating or printing said composition onto said substrate; heating said coated or printed composition sufficiently to remove volatile components and form an amorphous, hydrogenated semiconductor film; and annealing and/or irradiating said amorphous, hydrogenated semiconductor film sufficiently to at least partially crystallize and reduce a hydrogen content of said amorphous, hydrogenated semiconductor film and form said semiconductor film.