Methods for forming CIGS films are provided. According to an aspect of the invention, a method of forming a CIGS film includes a precursor step, which includes simultaneously evaporating Cu, In, Ga, Se, and Sb onto a substrate. The Se is incident on the substrate at a rate of at least 20 Å/s. The method also includes a selenization step, which includes evaporating Se over the substrate after the precursor step.

The present invention provides strategies for making high quality CIGS photoabsorbing materials from precursor films that incorporate a sub-stoichiometric amount of chalcogen(s). Chalcogen(s) are incorporated into the CIGS precursor film via co-sputtering with one or more other constituents of the precursor. Optional annealing also may be practiced to convert precursor into more desirable chalcopyrite crystalline form in event all or a portion of the precursor has another constitution. The resultant precursors generally are sub-stoichiometric with respect to chalcogen and have very poor electronic characteristics. The conversion of these precursors into CIGS photoabsorbing material via chalcogenizing treatment occurs with dramatically reduced interfacial void content. The resultant CIGS material displays excellent adhesion to other layers in the resultant photovoltaic devices. Ga migration also is dramatically reduced, and the resultant films have optimized Ga profiles in the top or bottom portion of the film that improve the quality of photovoltaic devices made using the films.

Methods of processing thin film by oxidation at high pressure are described. The methods are generally performed at pressures greater than 2 bar. The methods can be performed at lower temperatures and have shorter exposure times than similar methods performed at lower pressures. Some methods relate to oxidizing tungsten films to form self-aligned pillars.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device having two dimensional (2D) lateral hetero-structures includes forming alternating regions of a first metal dichalcogenide film and a second metal dichalcogenide film extending along a surface of a first substrate. The first metal dichalcogenide and the second metal dichalcogenide films are different metal dichalcogenides. Each second metal dichalcogenide film region is bordered on opposing lateral sides by a region of the first metal dichalcogenide film, as seen in cross-sectional view.

A semiconductor device structure and a method for forming a semiconductor device structure are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes multiple semiconductor nanostructures over a substrate and two epitaxial structures over the substrate. Each of the semiconductor nanostructures is between the epitaxial structures. The semiconductor device structure also includes a gate stack wrapping around the semiconductor nanostructures. The semiconductor device structure further includes a stressor structure between the gate stack and the substrate. The epitaxial structures extend exceeding a top surface of the stressor structure.

A method for producing a transition metal dichalcogenide-graphene heterojunction composite, the method includes: transferring a graphene onto a flexible substrate; depositing a transition metal layer on the flexible substrate onto which the graphene has been transferred; and injecting a gas containing plasma-treated sulfur (S) onto the flexible substrate onto which the transition metal layer has been deposited, is disclosed.

Transistor structures with monocrystalline metal chalcogenide channel materials are formed from a plurality of template regions patterned over a substrate. A crystal of metal chalcogenide may be preferentially grown from a template region and the metal chalcogenide crystals then patterned into the channel region of a transistor. The template regions may be formed by nanometer-dimensioned patterning of a metal precursor, a growth promoter, a growth inhibitor, or a defected region. A metal precursor may be a metal oxide suitable, which is chalcogenated when exposed to a chalcogen precursor at elevated temperature, for example in a chemical vapor deposition process.

A composition of matter having a coated silicon substrate with multiple alternating layers of polydopamine and polyallylamine bound copper-indium-gallium oxide (CIGO) nanoparticles on the substrate. A related composition of matter having polyallylamine bound to CIGO nanoparticles to form PAH-coated CIGO nanoparticles. A related CIGO thin film made via conversion of layer-by-layer assembled CIGO nanoparticles and polyelectrolytes. CIGO nanoparticles are created via a flame-spray pyrolysis method using metal nitrate precursors, subsequently coated with polyallylamine (PAH), and dispersed in aqueous solution. Multilayer films are assembled by alternately dipping a substrate into a solution of either polydopamine or polystyrenesulfonate and then in the CIGO-PAH dispersion to fabricate CIGO films as thick as 1-2 microns.

A semiconductor device having favorable electrical characteristics is provided. A metal oxide is formed over a substrate by the steps of: introducing a first precursor into a chamber in which the substrate is provided; introducing a first oxidizer after the introduction of the first precursor; introducing a second precursor after the introduction of the first oxidizer; and introducing a second oxidizer after the introduction of the second precursor.

Exemplary etching methods may include flowing a halogen-containing precursor into a remote plasma region of a semiconductor processing chamber while striking a plasma to produce plasma effluents. The methods may include contacting a substrate housed in a processing region with the plasma effluents. The substrate may define an exposed region of tungsten oxide. The contacting may produce a tungsten oxy-fluoride material. The methods may include flowing an etchant precursor into the processing region. The methods may include contacting the tungsten oxy-fluoride material with the etchant precursor. The methods may include removing the tungsten oxy-fluoride material.