Electrodeposition of fluorine-doped cadmium telluride for application in photovoltaic device fabrication

Electrodeposition (ED) technique has been used to deposit thin-film cadmium telluride (CdTe) on glass-/fluorine-doped tin oxide substrates using a two-electrode system from acidic, aqueous medium containing Cd(NO3)2 4H2O, TeO2 and CdF2 as dopants. Photoelectrochemical cell measurement, DC conductivity measurement, X-ray diffraction, optical absorption, thickness measurement and atomic force microscopy were carried out to study the electrical, structural, optical, compositional and morphological properties of the as-grown, heat-treated and CdCl2-treated ED-CdTe layers, respectively. The characterization data obtained signified 1370 mV as the best growth potential and CdCl2 treatment at 400 °C for 15 min as the best post-growth treatment to achieve an optimal result.