TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The metal chalcogenide comprises a metal comprising germanium, tin, lead, antimony, bismuth, gallium, indium and/or thallium and a chalcogen comprising sulfur, selenium and/or tellurium. The metal chalcogenide is of formula (M1X) (III), (M1X2) (IV), (M1a2X3) (V) or (M1b2X) (VI). The metal comprises tin and antimony, and the chalcogen comprises sulfur and selenium. The chalcogenide is of formula (Sn(S(2-x)Sex)) (VII). The metal chalcogenide film is in the form of a thin film. The metal chalcogenide film comprises a polycrystalline metal chalcogenide or single crystals of the metal chalcogenide. The polycrystalline metal chalcogenide has a grain size equal to or greater than the dimensions between contacts in a semiconductor device. The substrate is Kapton (RTM: Polyimide film), polycarbonate, silicon, amorphous hydrogenated silicon, silicon carbide, silicon dioxide, quartz, Sapphire (RTM: Alpha alumina), glass, metal, diamond like carbon, hydrogenated diamond-like carbon, gallium nitride, gallium arsenide, germanium, silicon-germanium, indium tin oxide, boron carbide, boron nitride, silicon nitride, alumina, cerium(IV) oxide, tin oxide, zinc titanate and/or a plastic material.M1 = metal comprising of Ge, Sn and/or Pb;X = chalcogen comprising of S, Se and/or Te;M1a = metal comprising of Sb, Bi, Ga and/or In; M1b = Tl; andx = less than or equal to 2.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: The isolated hydrazinium-based precursor of the metal chalcogenide is prepared by: contacting at least one metal chalcogenide, a hydrazine compound of formula (R1R2-N-N-R3R4) (I) to produce a solution of a hydrazinium-based precursor of the metal chalcogenide in the hydrazine compound; and isolating hydrazinium-based precursor of the metal chalcogenide as a substantially pure product. The hydrazinium-based precursor of the metal chalcogenide is prepared by: contacting at least one metal chalcogenide and a salt of an amine compound with hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen selenide or hydrogen telluride, where the amine compound is of formula (NR5R6R7) (II) to produce an ammonium-based precursor of the metal chalcogenide; contacting the ammonium-based precursor of the metal chalcogenide with a hydrazine compound (I) to produce a solution of a hydrazinium-based precursor of the metal chalcogenide in the hydrazine compound; and isolating hydrazinium-based precursor of the metal chalcogenide as a substantially pure product. The annealing step is carried out at a temperature and for a length of time sufficient to produce the metal chalcogenide film.R1-R4 = H, aryl, methyl, ethyl, linear, branched or cyclic (3-6)C alkyl, optionally elemental chalcogen comprising of S, Se and/or Te; andR5-R7 = H, aryl, methyl, ethyl, linear, branched or cyclic (3-6)C alkyl.Preferred Components: The solvent is water, lower alcohol, ether, esters, (2-6)C alkylene glycol, (4-6)C dialkylene glycol, C6 trialkylene glycol, glyme, diglyme, triglyme, propylene glycol monoacetate, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethylformamide, dimethylarsinic acid and/or hexamethylphosphoramide. The solubilizing additive is (1-10)C aliphatic amine, (4-10)C aromatic amine and/or (2-6)C aminoalcohol; n-propylamine, isopropylamine, n-butylamine, sec-butylamine, iso-butylamine, pentylamine, n-hexylamine, cyclohexylamine, phenethylamine, pyridine, aniline, aminotoluene, ethanolamine, propanolamine, diethanolamine, dipropanolamine, triethanolamine and/or tripropanolamine.