TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The group IB-chalcogenide in the precursor layer comprises copper-selenium (CuxSey) and the group IB-chalcogenide in the precursor layer comprises CuxSey, where x is greater than z. The particles are chalcogen-, Se-, sulfur-, and/or tellurium (Te)-rich particles. The particles are IBxVIAy and/or IIIAaVIAb particles, where x is less than y and a is less than b. The resulting group IB-IIIA-chalcogenide film is CuIn(1-x)GaxSe2 (CIGS), where xless than or equal to 1; or CuzIn(1-x)GaxS2(1-y)Se2y, where 0.5less than or equal tozless than or equal to 1.5, 0less than or equal toxless than or equal to 1, and 0less than or equal toyless than or equal to 1. The particles are oxygen -free. The group IIIA element comprises gallium, indium, and/or aluminum. The chalcogen is Se, sulfur, or Te. The particles are alloy, binary alloy particles, ternary alloy particles, multi-nary alloy particles, compound particles, and/or solid-solution particles. The chalcogen atmosphere comprises Se. The film is formed from a precursor layer of the particles and a layer of a sodium (Na)containing material in contact with the precursor layer; or formed from a precursor layer of the particles and a layer in contact with the precursor layer and containing at least one of the following materials: a group IB element, a group IIIA element, a group VIA element, a group IA element, a binary and/or multinary alloy of the elements, a solid solution of the elements, Cu, indium (In), gallium (Ga), Se, Cu-In, Cu-Ga, In-Ga, Na, Na compound, Na fluoride (NaF), Na-In-sulfide (S), Cu-Se, CuS, InSe, InS, GaSe, GaS, Cu-In-Se, Cu-In-S, Cu-Ga-Se, Cu-Ga-S, In-Ga-Se, In-Ga-S, Cu-In-Ga-Se, and/or Cu-In-Ga-S. The particles contain Cu-Na, In-Na, Ga-Na, Cu-In-Na, Cu-Ga-Na, In-Ga-Na, Na-Se, Cu-Se-Na, In-Se-Na, Ga-Se-Na, Cu-In-Se-Na, Cu-Ga-Se-Na, In-Ga-Se-Na, Cu-In-Ga-Se-Na, Na-S, Cu-S-Na, In-S-Na, Ga-S-Na, Cu-In-S-Na, Cu-Ga-S-Na, In-Ga-S-Na, or Cu-In-Ga-S-Na. The film is formed from a precursor layer of the particles and an ink containing a sodium compound with an organic counter-ion or a sodium compound with an inorganic counter-ion. Preferred Composition: The particles contain less than or equal to 1 at% sodium.