Influence of substrate temperature on the properties of ZnTe:Cu films prepared by a magnetron co-sputtering method

Copper-doped Zinc Tellurium (ZnTe:Cu) films were deposited on borosilicate glass using magnetron co-sputtering technique. The influence of the substrate temperature on the structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of ZnTe:Cu films was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), UV-Vis spectrophotometer and Hall effect measurement system. The results indicate that substrate temperature significantly affects the properties of the ZnTe:Cu films. When the substrate temperature increases from room temperature to 600 degrees C, the (111)-preferred orientation of ZnTe:Cu films is gradually replaced by the (220)-preferred orientation. At high substrate temperatures (>= 500 degrees C), the CuxTe phase appears in the ZnTe:Cu films, resulting in higher carrier concentration (>10(19) cm(-3)) and lower resistivity (<10(-2) Omega cm) of the prepared films.