Abstract
Electrodeposition of CdTe was studied in an ammonia-alkaline ammonium sulfate solution in which Cd (II) and Te (IV) ions respectively existed as Cd (II)-ammine complex and TeO32-. It was possible to prepare ammonia-ammonium sulfate solutions containing 50mol·m-3 Te (IV) and 50mol·m-3 Cd (II) at ambient temperature. Cathodic polarization curves were measured at various concentrations of Cd (II) and Te (IV) at room temperate. Electrodeposition of Te was found to be inhibited by the presence of Cd (II) ions, suggesting that there is strong interaction between Cd (II) and Te (IV) ions. Polycrystalline CdTe was obtained by electrodeposition at constant cathode potentials ranging from -0.6 to -1.0V vs SHE at 348K. The deposition currents of CdTe was about 50A·m-2 at -0.8V vs SHE, which is one order of magnitude greater than that of conventional acidic solutions. Polycrystalline CdTe could also be obtained by heat treatment of amorphous deposits obtained by electrodeposition at room temperature.
