Patent ID: 8066865

Claim:
A method of electrodepositing a Group IIIA-Group VIA thin film on a conductive surface comprising the steps of: (a) providing an electrodeposition solution that comprises a solvent, a Group IIIA material source to provide Ga, a Group VIA material source to provide at least one of Se, Te and S, and a complexing agent that complexes with the Ga to form soluble complex ions of Group IIIA material species; (b) adjusting the pH of the electrodeposition solution to at least 7; (c) contacting the electrodeposition solution having the pH adjusted to at least 7 with an anode and the conductive surface; (d) establishing a potential difference between the anode and the conductive surface; and (e) electrodepositing the Group IIIA-Group VIA thin film on the conductive surface using the electrodeposition solution having the pH adjusted to at least 7 in the presence of the potential difference.