Synthesis of CdTe thin films on flexible metal foil by electrodeposition

CdTe thin films have been deposited onto the Mo foil from aqueous acidic bath via electrodeposition method with water-soluble Na2TeO3 instead of the usually used TeO2. X-ray diffraction studies indicate that the CdTe thin films are crystallized in zinc-blende symmetry. The effect of tellurite concentration on the morphology of the deposited thin film is investigated. In such case, the Cd:Te molar ratios in the films are both stoichiometric at different tellurite concentrations. In addition, the reduction in tellurite concentration leads to the porous thin film and weakens the crystallinity of thin film. The island growth model is used to interpret the growth mechanism of CdTe. The bandgap of the CdTe thin films is assigned to be 1.49 eV from the UV–Vis spectroscopy measurement, which is considered to serve as a promising candidate for the heterojunction solar cells.