Abstract: In one example embodiment, a method includes depositing one or more thin-film layers onto a substrate. More particularly, at least one of the thin-film layers comprises at least one electropositive material and at least one of the thin-film layers comprises at least one chalcogen material suitable for forming a chalcogenide material with the electropositive material. The method further includes annealing the one or more deposited thin-film layers at an average heating rate of or exceeding 1 degree Celsius per second. The method may also include cooling the annealed one or more thin-film layers at an average cooling rate of or exceeding 0.1 degrees Celsius per second.

Abstract: Photovoltaic structures for the conversion of solar irradiance into electrical free energy. In particular implementations, the novel photovoltaic structures can be fabricated using low cost and scalable processes, such as magnetron sputtering. In a particular implementation, a photovoltaic cell includes a photoactive conversion layer comprising one or more granular semiconductor and oxide layers with nanometer-size semiconductor grains surrounded by a matrix of oxide. The semiconductor and oxide layer can be a disposed between electrode layers. In some implementations, multiple semiconductor and oxide layers can be deposited. These so-called semiconductor and oxide layers absorb sun light and convert solar irradiance into electrical free energy.

Abstract: In one example embodiment, a sputter target structure for depositing semiconducting chalcogenide films is described. The sputter target includes a target body comprising at least one chalcogenide alloy having a chalcogenide alloy purity of at least approximately 2N7, gaseous impurities less than 500 ppm for oxygen (0), nitrogen (N), and hydrogen (H) individually, and a carbon (C) impurity less than 500 ppm. In a particular embodiment, the chalcogens of the at least one chalcogenide alloy comprises at least 20 atomic percent of the target body composition, and the chalcogenide alloy has a density of at least 95% of the theoretical density for the chalcogenide alloy.