Isoelectronic CdTe-doped ZnO thin films grown by PLD

Isoelectronic CdTe-doped ZnO thin films were grown by the pulse laser deposition (PLO) technique using targets of ZnO mixed with CdTe. X-ray diffraction shows a single-phase hexagonal of ZnO wurtzite structure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows the formation of Zn-Te bonds, which demonstrates the occupation of O vacancies by Te atoms in the ZnO lattice, although Cd-Te and Te-O bonds were also present. Elemental analysis of the films gave Cd concentration lower than 2% in the ZnO film, likely due to low Cd solid solubility in ZnO. Crystallite size, film thickness, chemical concentrations and morphologic characteristics are also reported. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.