Formation of copper-indium-selenide and/or copper-indium-gallium-selenide films from indium selenide and copper selenide precursors

1. A method of forming a thin film layer of copper-indium-selenide, comprising:

dispersing a liquid-based In—Se precursor comprising In and Se in a liquid matrix on a substrate;

heating the liquid-based precursor comprising the In and Se in the liquid matrix to vaporize and drive away the liquid matrix, to decompose the precursor comprising the In and Se, to vaporize ligands from the decomposed In—Se precursor, to vaporize volatile products from the In—Se precursor including Se and/or H 2 Se, and to form and anneal crystalline In—Se on the substrate;

cooling the annealed crystalline In—Se film on the substrate;

dispersing a liquid-based Cu—Se precursor comprising Cu and Se in a liquid matrix on the crystalline In—Se film; and

heating the liquid-based Cu—Se precursor comprising the Cu and Se in the liquid matrix to vaporize and drive away the liquid matrix, to decompose the Cu—Se precursor comprising the Cu and Se, to vaporize ligands from the decomposed Cu—Se precursor, to vaporize volatile products from the Cu—Se precursor including Se and/or H 2 Se, and to form and anneal crystalline Cu—Se together with the crystalline In—Se film to form a crystalline Cu—In—Se film.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid-based In—Se precursor comprising In and Se in a liquid matrix includes a liquid In 2 Se 4 -ethylene diamine solution.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid-based In—Se precursor comprising In and Se in a liquid matrix includes a nano-In 2 Se 3 precursor suspension.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid-based Cu—Se precursor comprising Cu and Se in a liquid matrix includes a copper-organoselenide precursor solution.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the copper-organoselenide includes a copper alkyl selenide.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the copper alkyl selenide includes copper n-butyl selenide.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the copper-organoselenide includes a copper aryl selenide.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the liquid matrix includes a solvent and a dispersant.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the solvent includes DMSO.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the dispersant includes triethanol amine.

11. The method of claim 4 , wherein the liquid matrix includes DMSO.

12. The method of claim 4 , wherein the liquid matrix includes a mixture of hydrazine and ethylene diamine.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid-based Cu—Se precursor comprising Cu and Se in a liquid matrix includes a Cu 2 Se x -ethylene diamine solution, where 1≦x≦12.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the Cu 2 Se x -ethylene diamine solution includes a Cu 2 Se x -ethylene diamine coordination compound, where 1≦x≦12.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the Cu 2 Se 2 -ethylene diamine coordination compound includes Cu 2 Se x (en) y , where 1≦x≦12 and y≧1.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the crystalline In—Se film comprises crystalline In 2 Se 3 .

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the crystalline Cu—In—Se film comprises crystalline CuInSe 2 .

18. The method of claim 1 , including, before dispersing the liquid-based Cu—Se precursor comprising the Cu and In on the In—Se film, dispersing an additional film of the liquid-based In—Se precursor comprising In and Se in a liquid matrix on the crystalline In—Se film, heating the additional film of the liquid-based In—Se precursor comprising the In and Se in the liquid matrix to vaporize and drive away the liquid matrix, to decompose the In—Se precursor comprising the In and Se, to vaporize ligands from the decomposed In—Se precursor, to vaporize volatile products from the In—Se precursor including Se and/or H 2 Se, and to form and anneal additional crystalline In—Se to form a thickened crystalline In—Se film.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid-based In—Se precursor comprising the In and Se in a liquid matrix includes a slurry of In 2 Se 3 nanoparticles.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein said heating the liquid-based In—Se precursor comprising the In and Se includes heating the liquid-based In—Se precursor comprising the In and Se to a temperature in a range of 300 to 650° C.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein said heating the liquid-based In—Se precursor comprising the In and Se includes heating the liquid-based In—Se precursor comprising the In and Se to a temperature in a range of 400 to 550° C.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein said heating the liquid-based In—Se precursor comprising the In and Se includes heating the liquid-based In—Se precursor comprising the In and Se to a temperature in a range of 400 to 550° C. in a time range of one to ten minutes.

23. The method of claim 1 , wherein said heating the liquid-based In—Se precursor comprising the In and Se includes heating the liquid-based In—Se precursor comprising the In and Se to a temperature in a range of 400 to 550° C. in a time range of four to six minutes.

24. The method of claim 1 , wherein said heating the liquid-based Cu—Se precursor comprising the Cu and Se includes heating the liquid-based Cu—Se precursor comprising the Cu and Se to a temperature in a range of 150 to 650° C.

25. The method of claim 1 , wherein said heating the liquid-based Cu—Se precursor comprising the Cu and Se includes heating the liquid-based Cu—Se precursor comprising the Cu and Se to a temperature in a range of 350 to 550° C.

26. The method of claim 1 , wherein said heating the liquid-based Cu—Se precursor comprising the Cu and Se includes heating the liquid-based Cu—Se precursor comprising the Cu and Se to a temperature in a range of 350 to 550° C. in a time range of one to ten minutes.

27. The method of claim 1 , wherein said heating the liquid-based Cu—Se precursor comprising the Cu and Se includes heating the liquid-based Cu—Se precursor comprising the Cu and Se to a temperature in a range of 350 to 550° C. in a time range of four to six minutes.