Exploration of the spray deposited Cadmium Telluride thin films for optoelectronic devices

• Published in: Physica. B, Condensed matter Condensed matter, 2020-03, Vol.580, p.411831, Article 411831
• Main Authors: Shaikh, S.S., Shkir, Mohd, Masumdar, E.U.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cadmium; Cadmium telluride; Cadmium telluride (CdTe); Cadmium tellurides; Conductivity; Crystal structure; Electrical; Electrical resistivity; Glass substrates; Grain size; Heterojunctions; Morphological; Morphology; Optical; Optoelectronic devices; Photomicrographs; Photovoltaic cells; Raman spectra; Room temperature; Solar cells; Spray pyrolysis; Structural; Thin films
• ISSN: 0921-4526; 1873-2135
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physb.2019.411831

Cadmium Telluride is one of the important partners used in heterojunction solar cells and various other optoelectronic devices. Spray pyrolysis method was employed to deposit CdTe thin films, on glass substrates, at 300 °C. The as-deposited films were black in color and having thickness of 497.28 nm. XRD analysis discovered that the as-prepared films were polycrystalline with a cubic crystal structure having preferred reflection (111), with a grain size of 12 nm. The abundance of Cd and Te elements in as-deposited films was ensured using the EDX technique. The SEM micrograph processing showed a compact morphology and an average grain size of 30 nm. The spectral peaks in Raman spectra were found at 139.30 cm−1 (1TO) and 165.33 cm−1 (1LO). The observed direct band gap was 1.52 eV. The calculated electrical resistivity at room temperature was noticed to be 1.2 × 106 Ω-cm. TEP study engrained the p-type conductivity in as-deposited films. •CdTe thin film of thickness ~ 497 nm was prepared at 300 °C using spray pyrolysis technique.•XRD analysis reveals that film was of cubic phase and average crystallite size was 12 nm.•The direct optical energy band gap was 1.52 eV.•Raman spectral peaks were found at 139.30 cm–1 (1TO) and 165.33 cm–1 (1LO).