Methods for making doped and undoped copper chalcopyrite nanoparticles and thin films thereof

A method, comprising:

• forming an anhydrous first solution of an iron-containing compound, a copper-containing compound and a zinc-containing compound in a first solvent, said first solvent including one or more primary alkyl amines;
• forming a second anhydrous solution of a sulfur-containing compound in a second solvent, said second solvent including one or more alkyl amines;
• heating said first solutions to a nucleation temperature;
• after said heating, adding said second solution to said first solution to form zinc doped CuFeS2 chalcopyrite nanoparticles;
• maintaining said mixture of said first solution and said second solution at said nucleation temperature for a predetermined length of time;
• after said predetermined length of time, cooling said mixture of said first solution and said second solution to a second temperature that is less than said nucleation temperature;
• after said mixture reaches said second temperature adding a quenching solvent to said mixture;
• and
• purifying said zinc doped CuFeS2 chalcopyrite nanoparticles.