Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC

Sun Harmonics, Ltd.

Chivin Sun

Robert Vincent Fox

Rene Rodriguez

Joshua J Pak

Kelsey R Margulieux

Andrew W Holland

Kai Shum

Yuhang Ren

Fengyan Zhang

Single source precursors or pre-copolymers of single source precursors are subjected to microwave radiation to form particles of a I-III-VImaterial. Such particles may be formed in a wurtzite phase and may be converted to a chalcopyrite phase by, for example, exposure to heat. The particles in the wurtzite phase may have a substantially hexagonal shape that enables stacking into ordered layers. The particles in the wurtzite phase may be mixed with particles in the chalcopyrite phase (i.e., chalcopyrite nanoparticles) that may fill voids within the ordered layers of the particles in the wurtzite phase thus produce films with good coverage. In some embodiments, the methods are used to form layers of semiconductor materials comprising a I-III-VImaterial. Devices such as, for example, thin-film solar cells may be fabricated using such methods.

Methods for forming particles

Methods of forming single source precursors (SSPs) include forming intermediate products having the empirical formula &#xbd;{LN(&#x3bc;-X)M'X}, and reacting MER with the intermediate products to form SSPs of the formula LN(&#x3bc;-ER)M&#x2032;(ER), wherein L is a Lewis base, M is a Group IA atom, N is a Group IB atom, M&#x2032; is a Group IIIB atom, each E is a Group VIB atom, each X is a Group VIIA atom or a nitrate group, and each R group is an alkyl, aryl, vinyl, (per)fluoro alkyl, (per)fluoro aryl, silane, or carbamato group. Methods of forming polymeric or copolymeric SSPs include reacting at least one of HEREH and MER with one or more substances having the empirical formula LN(&#x3bc;-ER)M&#x2032;(ER)or LN(&#x3bc;-X)M&#x2032;(X)to form a polymeric or copolymeric SSP. New SSPs and intermediate products are formed by such methods.

Methods of forming single source precursors, methods of forming polymeric single source precursors, and single source precursors formed by such methods

Hybrid particles that comprise a coating surrounding a chalcopyrite material, the coating comprising a metal, a semiconductive material, or a polymer; a core comprising a chalcopyrite material and a shell comprising a functionalized chalcopyrite material, the shell enveloping the core; or a reaction product of a chalcopyrite material and at least one of a reagent, heat, and radiation. Methods of forming the hybrid particles are also disclosed.

Hybrid particles and associated methods

Methods of forming single source precursors, methods of forming polymeric single source precursors, and single source precursors and intermediate products formed by such methods

Ternary and quaternary Chalcopyrite CuInGaSSe(CIGS, where 0&#x2266;x and y&#x2266;1) nanoparticles were synthesized from molecular single source precursors (SSPs) by a one-pot reaction in a high boiling solvent using salt(s) (i.e. NaCl as by-product) as heat transfer agent via conventional convective heating method. The nanoparticles sizes were 1.8 nm to 5.2 nm as reaction temperatures were varied from 150&#xb0; C. to 190&#xb0; C. with very high-yield. Tunable nanoparticle size is achieved through manipulation of reaction temperature, reaction time, and precursor concentrations. In addition, the method developed in this study was scalable to achieve ultra-large quantities production of tetragonal and quaternary Chalcopyrite CIGS nanoparticles.

One-pot synthesis of chalcopyrite-based semi-conductor nanoparticles

Growing community of inventors

Staten Island, NY, United States of America

Chivin Sun