1. An n-doped microcrystalline semiconductor alloy material, said semiconductor alloy material including at least one band gap widening element, said material formed by a random network of relatively low conductivity, disordered regions surrounding highly ordered crystalline inclusions, said volume fraction of crystalline inclusions being greater than a threshold value at which the onset of substantial change in certain key parameters including electrical conductivity and bandgap occurs, whereby the material exhibits substantially increased electrical conductivity and a bandgap of at least aobut 1.9 eV.