High-throughput printing of chalcogen layer and the use of an inter-metallic material

A method for forming a film of a group IB-IIIA-chalcogenide compound, the method comprising:

• forming a precursor layer on a substrate, the precursor layer containing one or more group IB elements and one or more group IIIA elements;
• sintering the precursor layer;
• after sintering the precursor layer, forming a layer containing elemental chalcogen particles over the precursor layer;
• and
• heating the precursor layer and chalcogen particles to a temperature sufficient to melt the chalcogen particles and to react the chalcogen particles with the group IB element and group IIIA elements in the precursor layer to form a film of a group IB-IIIA-chalcogenide compound;
• wherein at least one set of the particles in the precursor layer are inter-metallic particles containing at least one group IB-IIIA inter-metallic alloy phase.

A method comprising:

• forming a precursor layer containing particles having one or more group IB elements and two or more different group IIIA elements;
• forming a layer containing surplus chalcogen particles providing a source of excess chalcogen, wherein the precursor layer and the surplus chalcogen layer are adjacent to one another;
• and
• heating the precursor layer and the surplus chalcogen layer to a temperature sufficient to melt the particles providing the source of excess chalcogen and to react the particles with the one or more group IB elements and group IIIA elements in the precursor layer to form a film of a group IB-IIIA-chalcogenide compound on a substrate;
• wherein at least one set of the particles in the precursor layer are inter-metallic particles containing at least one group IB-IIIA inter-metallic alloy phase.