Conductive layer for biaxially oriented semiconductor film growth

A thin film semiconductor structure, the thin film semiconductor structure comprising:

• a) a substrate;
• b) a first electrode deposited on the substrate, the first electrode comprising:
• i) a template layer deposited on the substrate, the template layer comprising a first metal nitride, wherein the first metal nitride is electrically conductive and has a rock salt crystal structure, wherein the template layer is deposited by ion beam assisted deposition;
• and
• ii) a buffer layer epitaxially deposited on the template layer on the substrate, the buffer layer comprising a second metal nitride, wherein the second metal nitride is electrically conductive;
• c) a semiconducting layer epitaxially deposited on the first electrode;
• and
• d) a transparent second electrode deposited on the semiconducting layer.

A method of making a thin film semiconductor structure, wherein the thin film semiconductor structure structure comprises a substrate, an electrode, the electrode comprising a template layer disposed on the substrate, a buffer layer disposed on the template layer, and a semiconducting layer deposited on the buffer layer, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing the substrate;
• b) depositing the template layer on the substrate by ion beam assisted vapor deposition, the template layer comprising a first metal nitride, wherein the first metal nitride is electrically conductive and has a rock salt crystal structure;
• c) epitaxially depositing the buffer layer on the template layer, the buffer layer comprising a second metal nitride, wherein the second metal nitride is electrically conductive;
• and
• d) epitaxially depositing the semiconducting layer on the buffer layer to form the thin film semiconductor structure.