Inorganic salt-nanoparticle ink for thin film photovoltaic devices and related methods

Abstract

Compositions for solution-based deposition of CIGS films are described. The compositions include ternary, quaternary or quinary chalcogenide nanoparticles (i.e., CIGS nanoparticles) and one or more inorganic salts dissolved or dispersed in a solvent to form an ink. The ink can be deposited on a substrate by conventional coating techniques and then annealed to form a crystalline layer. Further processing can be employed to fabricate a PV device. The inorganic salts are included to (i) tune the stoichiometry of the CIGS precursor ink to a desirable ratio, thus tuning the semiconductor band gap, to (ii) dope the CIGS layer with additives, such as Sb and/or Na, to promote grain growth, and/or to (iii) modify and improve the coating properties of the CIGS precursor ink.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.