Patent ID: 8507307

Claim:
A method of making a photovoltaic device or portion thereof, comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one p-type Group IIB/VA semiconductor in a semiconductor region; and (b) causing the at least one p-type Group IIB/VA semiconductor region to react with a species that is co-reactive with a Group VA element incorporated into the semiconductor region and that is in contact with the semiconductor region with the proviso that, if the at least one metal-containing species includes Mg, then at least one of (i) the Mg is present in combination with at least one other metal-containing species co-reactive with a Group VA element that has a phosphide enthalpy of formation at standard temperature and pressure that is more negative than the phosphide enthalpy of formation at standard temperature and pressure of magnesium phosphide; and/or (ii) if the Group IIB/VA semiconductor includes zinc phosphide, then the seminconductor region comprises at least one additional Group IIB/VA semiconductor; and/or (iii) at least one pnictide reaction product has a pnictide enthalpy of formation at standard temperature and pressure that is at least 100 kJ/mol-Pn more negative than the enthalpy of formation at standard temperature and pressure of at least one p-type Group IIB/VA semiconductor included in the semiconductor region.