Electrodeposition and characterization of CdSe_xTe_1-x semiconducting thin films

Thin polycrystalline films of cadmium chalcogenides CdSe_xTe_1-x (0≤ × ≤ 1) have been prepared by electrochemical plating on ITO (indium tin oxide) coated glass substrates from an acid sulfate solution at 90°C. Structural, morphological and compositional studies of the deposited films are reported as a function of the x coefficient. XRD analysis shows that all deposits have a cubic structure with a preferred orientation along the (111) direction. The composition in the films is found to vary linearly with the composition in the solution. The increase in the selenium content x in the CdSe_xTe_1-x films decreases the lattice constant and increases the band gap. Nevertheless this latter presents a minimum for x = 0.27.