Abstract
CdTe is one of the most effective semiconductors used for solar battery, and thus it is desired to prepare its powder for usage as a printable electronic material. This work reports that CdTe powder was successfully prepared by the following procedures: The molten mixture of CdCl2 and CdTe was cooled rapidly and placed in water. CdTe powder precipitated by resolution of CdCl2 into water from the mixed solid. Doping into CdTe powder was realized by addition of a dopant material in the molten mixture. Electric conductivity, photoconductivity and action spectra were measured on the pure and doped powders, which had a similar size distribution (approximate maximum size: 0.3-0.5μm). The temperature dependencies of electric current and photocurrent were expressed, respectively, by I=I0exp(-E/kT) and Ip=Ip0exp(-Ep/kT)+Ip1, and the values of parameters obtained were shown in Tables I and II. The band gap of the powders was estimated from the action spectra to be almost the same as that of crystal, and its temperature coefficient was also the same. The electric and particulate properties showed the suitability of the present powders for the purpose.
