# US 8,771,555 B2 · Ink composition

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- Number: US 8,771,555 B2
- Document ID: US8771555B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/234,158
- Filed: 2011-09-16
- Published: 2012-11-08
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2011-05-06
- Assignees: Neo Solar Power Corp.
- Applicants: Yueh-Chun Liao; Feng-Yu Yang; Ching Ting
- Inventors: Yueh-Chun Liao; Feng-Yu Yang; Ching Ting
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771555B2

## CPC

- C09D 11/52: Electrically conductive inks
- H10F 77/128: {comprising only Group I-II-IV-VI kesterite materials, e.g. Cu2ZnSnSe4 or Cu2ZnSnS4}
- H10P 14/265: {using solutions}
- H10P 14/3241: {being conductive materials}
- H10P 14/3428: {Sulfides}
- H10P 14/3431: {Selenides}
- H10P 14/3436: {being chalcogenide semiconductor materials not being oxides, e.g. ternary compounds}
- Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D)
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

An ink composition for forming a chalcogenide semiconductor film and a method for forming the same are disclosed. The ink composition includes a solvent, a plurality of metal chalcogenide nanoparticles and at least one selected from the group consisted of metal ions and metal complex ions. The metal ions and/or complex ions are distributed on the surface of the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles and adapted to disperse the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles in the solvent. The metals of the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles, the metal ions and the metal complex ions are selected from a group consisted of group I, group II, group III and group IV elements of periodic table and include all metal elements of a chalcogenide semiconductor material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An ink composition, comprising:
a solvent;
a plurality of metal chalcogenide nanoparticles; and
at least one selected from the group consisted of metal ions and metal complex ions which are distributed on the surface of the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles to form an electron double layer and adapted to disperse the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles in the solvent;
wherein metals of the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles, the metal ions and the metal complex ions are selected from a group consisted of group I, group II, group III and group IV elements of periodic table and include all metal elements of a chalcogenide semiconductor material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The ink composition according to claim 1, wherein the chalcogenide semiconductor material is selected from a group consisted of IV-VI, I-III-VI and I-II-IV-VI compounds.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The ink composition according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles are distributed with different metal ions and/or metal complex ions.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The ink composition according to claim 1, wherein the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles include at least two different metal chalcogenide.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The ink composition according to claim 1, wherein the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles include one nanoparticle constituted by at least two metal chalcogenides.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The ink composition according to claim 5, wherein the at least two metal chalcogenides are selected from a group consisted of tin chalcogenide, zinc chalcogenide and copper chalcogenide.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The ink composition according to claim 5, wherein the at least two metal chalcogenides are selected from a group consisted of copper chalcogenide, indium chalcogenide and gallium chalcogenide.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The ink composition according to claim 1, wherein metals of the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles, the metal ions and the metal complex ions include tin, copper and zinc.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The ink composition according to claim 1, wherein metals of the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles, the metal ions and the metal complex ions further include germanium.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The ink composition according to claim 1, wherein metals of the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles, the metal ions and the metal complex ions include copper, indium and gallium.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The ink composition according to claim 1, wherein the solvent includes polar solvents.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The ink composition according to claim 1, wherein the solvent includes at least one selected from the group consisted of water, methanol, ethanol and isopropyl alcohol, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and amines.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The ink composition according to claim 1, wherein the metal chalcogenide nanoparticles includes at least one selected from the group consisted of Sn—S, Cu—S, Zn—S, In—S, Ga—S, Sn—Se, Cu—Se, Zn—Se, In—Se, Ga—Se, CuSn—S, Cu—Zn—S, Zn—Sn—S, Cu—In—S, Cu—In—Ga—S, Cu—Sn—Se, Cu—Zn—Se, Zn—Sn—Se, Cu—In—Se, Cu—Ga—S, Cu—Ga—Se, and Cu—In—Ga—Se.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The ink composition according to claim 1, wherein the metal ions includes at least one selected from a group consisted of copper ions, tin ions, zinc ions, germanium ions, indium ions and gallium ions.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The ink composition according to claim 1, wherein the metal complex ions include at least one selected from the group consisted of metal-thiourea ions, metal-thioacetamide ions and metal-ammonium sulfide ions.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The ink composition according to claim 15, wherein the metal thiourea complex ions include at least one selected from the group consisted of copper-thiourea ions, tin-thiourea ions, zinc-thiourea ions, germanium-thiourea ions, indium-thiourea ions and gallium-thiourea ions.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The ink composition according to claim 15, wherein the metal-thioacetamide ion includes at least one selected from the group consisted of copper-thioacetamide ions, tin-thioacetamide ions, zinc-thioacetamide ions, germanium-thioacetamide ion, indium-thioacetamide ions, and gallium-thioacetamide ions.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The ink composition according to claim 1, wherein the metal chalcogenide nanoparticle has a particle size ranged from about 2 nm to about 2000 nm.