Group IIB/VA semiconductors suitable for use in photovoltaic devices

A method of making a p/n photovoltaic junction comprising a Group IIB/VA semiconductor comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing at least one p-type Group IIB/VA semiconductor in a semiconductor region;
• and
• (b) providing at least one metal-containing species in contact with the Group IIB/VA semiconductor, wherein the metal-containing species has a Net Reactivity that is −100 kJ/mol-Pn or more negative with respect to the Group IIB/VA semiconductor;
• and
• (c) converting a portion of the at least one p-type Group IIB/VA semiconductor to an n-type semiconductor.

A device, comprising:

• (a) at least one p-type Group IIB/VA semiconductor region;
• and
• (b) at least one n-type semiconductor region in contact with the p-type Group IIB/VA semiconductor region, wherein
• (i) the n-type semiconductor region comprises or is in contact with at least one metal pnictide for which a metal constituent of the metal pnictide has a Net Reactivity with respect to the p-type Group IIB/VA semiconductor region that is about −100 kJ/mol-Pn or more negative with respect to the p-type Group IIB/VA semiconductor;
• or
• (ii) a p/n junction is formed at an interface between the p-type and n-type regions;
• and the device further comprises additional region in contact with at least one of the p-type and n-type regions that includes at least one reaction product between a Group VA element of the p-type Group IIB/VA semiconductor region and at least one metal species other than Mg that is co-reactive with the Group VA element of the p-type Group IIB/VA semiconductor region.

A method of making a photovoltaic device or portion thereof, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing in a semiconductor region comprising at least one p-type Group IIB/VA semiconductor including a Group IIB element and a Group VA element;
• and
• (b) causing the at least one p-type Group IIB/VA semiconductor to react with at least one species that is co-reactive with the Group VA element to form a pnictide reaction product with the proviso that, if the at least one co-reactive species includes Mg such that the pnictide reaction product includes a magnesium pnictide, then at least one of
• (i) the Mg is provided in combination with at least one other metal-containing species co-reactive with the Group VA element, wherein the at least one other metal-containing co-reactive species has a pnictide enthalpy of formation at standard temperature and pressure with respect to the Group VA element that is more negative than the pnictide enthalpy of formation at standard temperature and pressure of the magnesium pnictide;
• and/or
• (ii) if the Group IIB/VA semiconductor includes zinc phosphide, then the seminconductor region comprises at least one additional Group IIB/VA semiconductor;
• and/or
• (iii) at least one pnictide reaction product has a pnictide enthalpy of formation at standard temperature and pressure that is at least 100 kJ/mol-Pn more negative than the enthalpy of formation at standard temperature and pressure of at least one p-type Group IIB/VA semiconductor included in the semiconductor region;
• and/or
• at least a portion of step (b) occurs while the co-reactive species is capped with a barrier that helps isolate the co-reactive species from at least one of oxygen and water.