FORMATION AND PROPERTIES OF POLYCRYSTALLINE P-TYPE HIGH-CONDUCTIVITY CDTE-FILMS BY COEVAPORATION OF CDTE AND TE

Polycrystalline p-type high-dark-conductivity CdTe films have been prepared by coevaporation of CdTe and Te. The structural and electrical properties were investigated. The dark conductivity of the films at 300 K ranged from 6.32 x 10(-8) to 3.41 S cm-1. The film structure was of the zincblende type with a preferential orientation of the (111) planes parallel to the substrate. The crystallinity was rather good. From the measurements of the carrier concentration versus ambient temperature characteristics, it was found that the high-conductivity p-type conduction of the films was due to the formation of Cd vacancies, acceptors resulting from the coevaporation of CdTe and Te. It is shown that the high-conductivity films obtained are suitable for p-CdTe/n-CdS solar cells.