High-throughput printing of semiconductor precursor layer by use of chalcogen-rich chalcogenides

A method comprising:

• forming a precursor material comprising group IB-chalcogenide and/or group IIIA-chalcogenide particles, wherein an overall amount of chalcogen in the particles relative to an overall amount of chalcogen in a group IB-IIIA-chalcogenide film created from the precursor material, is at a ratio that provides an excess amount of chalcogen in the precursor material;
• using the precursor material to form a precursor layer over a surface of a substrate;
• and
• heating the particle precursor material in a suitable atmosphere to a temperature sufficient to melt the particles and to release at least the excess amount of chalcogen from the chalcogenide particles, wherein the excess amount of chalcogen assumes a liquid form and acts as a flux to improve intermixing of elements to form the group IB-IIIA-chalcogenide film at a desired stoichiometric ratio;
• wherein the overall amount of chalcogen in the precursor material is an amount greater than or equal to a stoichiometric amount found in the IB-IIIA-chalcogenide film.