EFFECT OF A SURFACTANT ON CADMIUM TELLURIDE FILMS PREPARED BY ELECTRODEPOSITION ON TRANSPARENT CONDUCTING OXIDES

This paper presents the influence of an amphoteric surfactant, the polyoxyethylenated nonylphenol (9-PENP), on the electrodeposition and properties of CdTe films on tin oxide substrates. The deposition is carried out in an acidic bath. The surfactant is shown to have a beneficial effect on the film properties when its concentration is lower than the critical micelle concentration (CMC). An improvement of the crystallinity of the layers prepared in the range 50-60-degrees-C is observed and related to a decrease of the electrodeposition current resulting from the adsorption of the surfactant.The as-grown films prepared with 9-PENP also present better photoelectrochemical characteristics than standard films. One limiting factor is presently the. low CMC values of this surfactant which do not allow it to work at higher temperatures.