Patent ID: 8309387

Claim:
A method of making nanoscale layers within photovoltaic cell material containing a Group VI element, comprising: exposing at least a surface of a portion of a photovoltaic cell material containing a Group VI element to a gas containing the element fluorine, wherein the gas substantially concomitantly: removes at least a portion of the Group VI element from atop the photovoltaic cell material; and forms a nanoscale layer of material, wherein at least a portion of the nanoscale layer of material has a thickness of about 0.5 to 25 nanometers and comprises fluorine and at least one element other than a Group VI element atop at least a portion of the exposed photovoltaic cell material containing a Group VI element; wherein the at least a portion of the nanoscale layer starts at an interface with the surface of the photovoltaic cell material containing a Group VI element and ends at an interface with an adjacent layer of an operable photovoltaic cell.