Patent ID: 7972898

Claim:
A process of making an n-type zinc-oxide-based thin film semiconductor by depositing a thin film material on a surface area of a substrate, either an entire surface area or a selected portion thereof, wherein deposition is by an atomic layer deposition process that is carried out substantially at or above atmospheric pressure, wherein the temperature of the substrate during deposition is under 300° C., and wherein the atomic layer deposition process comprises: simultaneously directing a series of gas flows along elongated substantially parallel channels comprising, in order, at least a first reactive gaseous material containing a zinc-containing compound having a molar flow during deposition, an inert purge gas, and a second reactive gaseous material through a plurality of output openings spaced apart from the substrate, and transporting the substrate in a direction relative to the plurality of output openings, such that any point on the surface area of the substrate experiences a sequence of the first and second gaseous materials and the inert purge gas, whereby the sequence causes a thin film to be formed by atomic layer deposition on the surface area of the substrate, wherein a volatile indium-containing compound is introduced into the first reactive gaseous material or a supplemental gaseous material such that the indium-containing compound has a molar flow at a level of greater than 20 percent of the molar flow of the zinc-containing compound.