Characterization of p-CdTe obtained by CVTG tellurization of electrodeposited CdTe

CdTe thin films were electrodeposited from an ethylene-glycol-based bath by the galvanostatic method. As-deposited and tellurized films were characterized by structural, opto-electronic and photoelectrochemical methods. As-deposited films were powdery in nature and showed n-type conductivity due to the elemental nature of the film. The film stoichiometry was improved after tellurization of the film at 300 degrees C by a new technique called chemical vapor transport by gas (CVTG) in a tubular furnace. Tellurized films showed near stoichiometry with p-type conductivity in the bulk and n-type surface conductivity, which is explained by the 'seb' model for electrical conductivity in electrodeposited-chalcogenized films. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.