TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - IMAGING AND COMMUNICATION - Preferred Process: The step of applying is carried out by a method comprising spin coating, dip coating, doctor blading, curtain coating, slide coating, spraying, slit casting, meniscus coating, screen printing, ink jet printing, pad printing, flexographic printing or gravure printing. The step of annealing is carried out at 200-800 degrees C. The anneal is carried out in an atmosphere comprising: at least one of: nitrogen (N2), argon (Ar), helium (He) and/or forming gas; and optionally vapors of at least one of sulfur, selenium or their compounds. The method comprises contacting hydrazine, a source of Cu, and a source of at least one of S and Se forming solution (A); contacting hydrazine, a source of Sn, a source of at least one of S and Se, and a source of Zn forming dispersion (B); mixing the solution (A) and the dispersion B under conditions sufficient to form a dispersion comprising Zn-containing solid particles; applying the dispersion onto a substrate to form a thin layer; and annealing at a temperature, pressure, and length of time sufficient to form (I).    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The solution further comprises at least one of a solvent, an amine, a polymer and an additive. The source of copper (Cu) is at least one of copper (I) sulfide (Cu2S) or copper selenium (Cu2Se). The source of tin (Sn) is at least one of tin selenium (SnSe), tin sulfide (SnS), tin-selenium (SnSe2) or tin sulfide (SnS2). The source of zinc (Zn) is at least one of metallic zinc, zinc sulfide (ZnS) or zinc selenium (ZnSe). The source of Zn comprises particles having a size of 2-2000 nm. The dimension of the particles is represented by the formula of (d greater than or equal to 2e).d = at least one dimension of the particles; ande = any other dimension of the particles.The source of S is elemental sulfur, copper sulfide (CuS), Cu2S, tin sulfide (SnS), tin sulfide (SnS2) and/or ZnS. The source of selenium (Se) is elemental selenium, SnSe2 or SnSe. The substrate is coated with a transparent conductive coating. The additive contains a metal or its compound, where the metal is lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), antimony (Sb) or bismuth (Bi); and present at 0.01-5 mass%. The concentration of each of the sources is 5-1000 mg/ml. The solution further comprises at least one of a solvent, an amine, a polymer, and an additive. The concentration of each of the sources is 5-1000 mg/ml. The substrate is coated with a molybdenum layer and is glass, plastic, polymer, ceramic, or aluminum foil; the n-type semiconducting layer has at least one of ZnS, cadmium sulfide (CdS), indium sulfide (InS) or their oxides or selenides; where the transparent conductive material is doped zinc oxide, Indium-tin oxide, doped tin oxide, or carbon nanotubes.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: The photovoltaic device comprises many electrically interconnected photovoltaic devices forming a photovoltaic module.