Tuning structural, electrical, linear, and nonlinear optical properties of cadmium zinc telluride quantum dot thin films
Source abstract
Abstract
Abstract Quantum dots of Cd0.18Zn0.14Te0.68thin films of various thicknesses are deposited on a glass substrate using inert gas condensation and characterized using many techniques. Structural analysis confirms the cubic polymorph of the thin films. The particle size increased from 5.7 to 10.35 nm as the film thickness increased from 10 to 100 nm. Bandgap calculations show two direct allowed transitions, one of which is 1.8 eV for different thicknesses. The other transition changes from the ultra-violet region (3.7 eV) for 10 nm thickness to yellow (2 eV) for 100 nm thickness, depending on the particle size. This result suggests that this material is suitable for use in multiple absorption layers of the same material rather than multilayers of different materials in tandem solar cells. The optical linear and nonlinear parameters highly depend on the particle size. Electrical conductivity shows intrinsic conduction with low activation energies from ambient temperature to 336 K. Graphical abstract
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Quantum Dots Synthesis And Properties · Chalcogenide Semiconductor Thin Films · Advanced Semiconductor Detectors and Materials
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (66)
Show source-provided references
1. G. Kartopu, D. Turkay, C. Ozcan, W. Hadibrata, P. Aurang, S. Yerci, H.E. Unalan, V. Barrioz, Y. Qu, L. Bowen, A.K. Gürlek, P. Maiello, R. Turan, S.J.C. Irvine, Photovoltaic performance of CdS/CdTe junctions on ZnO nanorod arrays. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 176, 100–108 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2017.11.03610.1016/j.solmat.2017.11.036 ↗
2. P. Chamola, P. Mittal, Impact of ZnTe, SbZnTe and SnZnTe absorber materials for multi-layered solar cell: parametric extraction and layer wise internal analysis. Optik 224, 165626 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijleo.2020.16562610.1016/j.ijleo.2020.165626 ↗
3. S. Chander, M.S. Dhaka, Influence of thickness on physical properties of vacuum evaporated polycrystalline CdTe thin films for solar cell applications. Physica E 76, 52–59 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physe.2015.09.04410.1016/j.physe.2015.09.044 ↗
4. E. Akbarnejad, M. Ghoranneviss, S. Mohajerzadeh, M.R. Hantehzadeh, E. Asl Soleimani, Optical absorption enhancement of CdTe nanostructures by low-energy nitrogen ion bombardment. J. Phys. D 49, 075301 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/49/7/07530110.1088/0022-3727/49/7/075301 ↗
5. O.I. Olusola, M.L. Madugu, N.A. Abdul-Manaf, I.M. Dharmadasa, Growth and characterisation of n- and p-type ZnTe thin films for applications in electronic devices. Curr. Appl. Phys. 16, 120–130 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cap.2015.11.00810.1016/j.cap.2015.11.008 ↗
6. F. Fauzi, D.G. Diso, O.K. Echendu, V. Patel, Y. Purandare, R. Burton, I.M. Dharmadasa, Development of ZnTe layers using electrochemical technique for applications in thin film solar cells. Semicond. Sci. Technol. 28, 045005 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1088/0268-1242/28/4/04500510.1088/0268-1242/28/4/045005 ↗
7. B.H. AlMaiyaly, B.H. Hussein, A.H. Shaban, Fabrication and characterization study of ZnTe/n-Si heterojunction solar cell application. J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 1003, 012084 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1003/1/01208410.1088/1742-6596/1003/1/012084 ↗
8. T. Tanaka, K. Saito, M. Nishio, Q. Guo, H. Ogawa, Enhanced light output from ZnTe light emitting diodes by utilizing thin film structure. Appl. Phys. Express 2, 122101 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1143/APEX.2.12210110.1143/APEX.2.122101 ↗
9. H. Hassun, Study of Photodetector Properties ZnTe:Al/Si Prepared by Thermal Evaporation, PhD Thesis, University of Baghdad, Iraq, 2017
10. H. Bayad, A. El Manouni, B. Marí, Y.H. Khattak, S. Ullah, F. Baig, Influence of P+-ZnTe back surface contact on photovoltaic performance of ZnTe based solar cells. Opt. Quantum Electron. 50, 259 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-018-1530-010.1007/s11082-018-1530-0 ↗
11. K. Seshan, Handbook of Thin Film Deposition, 3rd edn. (Elsevier, London, 2012). https://doi.org/10.1016/C2009-0-64359-210.1016/C2009-0-64359-2 ↗
12. O. Skhouni, A. El Manouni, B. Mari, Hanif Ullah, Numerical study of the influence of ZnTe thickness on CdS/ZnTe solar cell performance. Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. 74, 24602 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1051/epjap/201515036510.1051/epjap/2015150365 ↗
13. D.K. Shah, K.C. Devendra, M. Muddassir, M.S. Akhtar, C.Y. Kim, O.-B. Yang, A simulation approach for investigating the performances of cadmium telluride solar cells using doping concentrations, carrier lifetimes, thickness of layers, and band gaps. Sol. Energy 216, 259–265 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2020.12.07010.1016/j.solener.2020.12.070 ↗
14. Md. Muin Uddin, Design and Analysis of a High Efficiency and Ultrathin ZnxCd1−xS/ZnCdTe Solar Cell, MSc Thesis, MUET, Bangladesh, 2015
15. O. Oklobia, G. Kartopu, S.J.C. Irvine, Properties of arsenic-doped ZnTe thin films as a back contact for CdTe solar cells. Materials 12, 3706 (2019). https://doi.org/10.3390/ma1222370610.3390/ma12223706 ↗
16. A. Kathalingam, S. Valanarasu, S. Ramesh, H.S. Kim, H.-S. Kim, Photoelectrochemical solar cell study of electrochemically synthesized Cd1−xZnxTe thin films. Sol. Energy 224, 923–929 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2021.06.06510.1016/j.solener.2021.06.065 ↗
17. K. Bashir, N. Mehboob, A. Ali, A. Zaman, M. Ashraf, M. Lal, K. Althubeiti, M. Mushtaq, Fabrication and characterization of Cd1−xZnxTe thin films for photovoltaic applications. Mater. Lett. 304, 130737 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2021.13073710.1016/j.matlet.2021.130737 ↗
18. E. Yilmaz, An investigation of CdZnTe thin films for photovoltaics. Energy Sources A 34, 332–335 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1080/15567036.2010.49082410.1080/15567036.2010.490824 ↗
19. T. Schulman, Si, CdTe and CdZnTe Radiation Detectors for Imaging Applications. PhD Thesis, University of Helsinki, Finland, 2006
20. N.A. Shah, W. Mahmood, M. Abbas, N. Nazar, A.H. Khosa, A. Zeb, A. Malik, The synthesis of CdZnTe semiconductor thin films for tandem solar cells. RSC Adv. 11, 39940 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1039/D1RA07755D10.1039/D1RA07755D ↗
21. S. Chander, M.S. Dhaka, Effect of thickness on physical properties of electron beam vacuum evaporated CdZnTe thin films for tandem solar cells. Physica E 84, 112–117 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physe.2016.05.04510.1016/j.physe.2016.05.045 ↗
22. S. Chander, M.S. Dhaka, Optimization of structural, optical and electrical properties of CdZnTe thin films with the application of thermal treatment. Mater. Lett. 182, 98–101 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2016.06.09310.1016/j.matlet.2016.06.093 ↗
23. M. Fiederle, Narrow-gap II–VI compounds for optoelectronic and electromagnetic applications. Cryst. Res. Technol. 34(2), 196–196 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1521-4079(199902)34:2%3c196::AID-CRAT196%3e3.0.CO;2-E10.1002/(SICI)1521-4079(199902)34:2<196::AID-CRAT196>3.0.CO;2-E ↗
24. J. Huang, Q. Gu, F. Yang, K. Tang, S. Gou, Z. Zhang, Y. Shen, J. Zhang, L. Wang, Y. Lu, Growth and properties of CdZnTe films on different substrates. Surf. Coat. Technol. 364, 444–448 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2018.10.08310.1016/j.surfcoat.2018.10.083 ↗
25. U.N. Roy, R.M. Mundle, G.S. Camarda, Y. Cui, R. Gul, A. Hossain, G. Yang, A.K. Pradhan, R.B. James, Novel ZnO: Al contacts to CdZnTe for X- and gamma-ray detectors. Sci. Rep. 6, 26384 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep2638410.1038/srep26384 ↗
26. X. Gao, H. Sun, D. Yang, P. Wangyang, C. Zhang, X. Zhu, Large-area CdZnTe thick film based array X-ray detector. Vacuum 183, 109855 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vacuum.2020.10985510.1016/j.vacuum.2020.109855 ↗
27. J. Bie, S. Wang, Y. Guan, X. Zhang, Y. Sun, C. Sun, K. Tang, J. Huang, M. Cao, J. Ling, K. Tan, Y. Shen, L. Wang, Close-spaced sublimation of CdZnTe: In films for solar energy water splitting. Energy Fuels 35, 8234–8245 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.1c0035610.1021/acs.energyfuels.1c00356 ↗
28. A.G. Cullis, P.A. Midgley, Microscopy of Semiconducting Materials, 1st ed. (2003). https://doi.org/10.1201/978135107463610.1201/9781351074636 ↗
29. I.A. Mahdy, M.A. Mahdy, S.M. El Sheikh, Study of the structural, electrical and optical properties of Ge–Pb–Te nanocrystals. Eur. Phys. J. D 70, 264 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2016-70307-210.1140/epjd/e2016-70307-2 ↗
30. I.A. Mahdy, E.A. Mahmoud, M.A. Mahdy, Tin telluride quantum dot thin films: size dependent structural, optical and electrical properties. Mater. Sci. Semicond. Process. 121, 105398 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mssp.2020.10539810.1016/j.mssp.2020.105398 ↗
31. M.A. Mahdy, E.A. Mahmoud, I.A. Mahdy, Linear and nonlinear optical response dependency on the crystallite size of CdTe and its structural properties. Surf. Interfaces 23, 100974 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfin.2021.10097410.1016/j.surfin.2021.100974 ↗
32. B.D. Cullitty, Elements of X-Ray Diffraction, 2nd edn. (Addison Wesley, Boston, 1978)
33. R. Zarei Moghadam, M.H. Ehsani, H. Rezagholipour Dizaji, M.R. Sazide, Thickness dependence of structural and optical properties of CdTe films. Iran. J. Mater. Sci. Eng. 15, 21–31 (2018). https://doi.org/10.22068/ijmse.l5.3.2110.22068/ijmse.l5.3.21 ↗
34. T. Rajh, O.I. Micic, A.J. Nozik, Synthesis and characterization of surface-modified colloidal CdTe quantum dots. J. Phys. Chem. 97, 11999–12003 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1021/j100148a02610.1021/j100148a026 ↗
35. S.M. Ma, J.T. Seo, W. Yu, Q. Yang, B. Tabibi, D. Temple, N. Min, S.S. Jung, W.J. Kim, Ultrafast time-resolved DFWM of CdTe quantum dots in toluene. In International Symposium on Advanced Nanodevices and Nanotechnology, 2008, p. 012025 (2008)10.1088/1742-6596/109/1/012025 ↗
36. H. Ji, Properties of Type-II ZnTe/ZnSe Submonolayer Quantum Dots Studied via Excitonic Aharonov–Bohm Effect and Polarized Optical Spectroscopy, PhD Thesis, Graduate Center, City University of New York, 2016
37. D. Lee, J.E. Zucker, A.M. Johnson, R.D. Feldman, R.F. Austin, Room temperature excitonic saturation in CdZnTe/ZnTe quantum wells. Appl. Phys. Lett. 57, 1132 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.10351310.1063/1.103513 ↗
38. JCPDS-International Centre for Diffraction Data, Card Number (50-1439) (JCPDS-International Centre for Diffraction Data, 2001)
39. J.I. Pankove, Optical Processes in Semiconductors (Prentice-Hall Inc, Englewood Cliffs, 1971)
40. J. Tauc, Amorphous and Liquid Semiconductors (Plenum, London, 1974)10.1007/978-1-4615-8705-7 ↗
41. M.A. Zubair, M.T. Chowdhury, M.S. Bashar, M.A. Sami, M.F. Islam, Thickness dependent correlation between structural and optical properties of textured CdSe thin film. AIP Adv. 9, 045123 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.509659410.1063/1.5096594 ↗
42. S. Lalitha, R. Sathyamoorthy, S. Senthilarasu, A. Subbarayan, K. Natarajan, Characterization of CdTe thin film dependence of structural and optical properties on temperature and thickness. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 82, 187–199 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2004.01.01710.1016/j.solmat.2004.01.017 ↗
43. R.S. Mane, J.D. Desai, O.-S. Joo, S.-H. Han, Surface morphology and optical studies of non-aqueous Bi2S3 thin films. Int. J. Electrochem. Sci. 2, 141–148 (2007)10.1016/S1452-3981(23)17060-X ↗
44. M.A. Mahdy, I.A. Mahdy, E.A. Mahmoud, Structural and optical properties of PbSe nanostructure thin films prepared by inert gas condensation. Physica E 59, 117–123 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physe.2014.01.00910.1016/j.physe.2014.01.009 ↗
45. M.F. Hasaneen, Z.A. Alrowaili, W.S. Mohamed, Structure and optical properties of polycrystalline ZnSe thin films: validity of Swanepol’s approach for calculating the optical parameters. Mater. Res. Express 7, 016422 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/ab677910.1088/2053-1591/ab6779 ↗
46. M.J. Weber, Handbook of Optical Materials (CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2003)
47. A.Q. Abdullah, Surface and volume energy loss, optical conductivity of Rhodamine 6G dye (R6G). Chem. Mater. Res. 3, 56–64 (2013)
48. C.-C. Kuo, C.-C. Liu, S.-C. He, J.-T. Chang, J.-L. He, The influences of thickness on the optical and electrical properties of dual-ion-beam sputtering-deposited molybdenum-doped zinc oxide layer. J. Nanomater. 2011, 140697 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/14069710.1155/2011/140697 ↗
49. A.P. Amalathas, M.M. Alkaisi, Effects of film thickness and sputtering power on properties of ITO thin films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering without oxygen. J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron. 27, 11064–11071 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-016-5223-910.1007/s10854-016-5223-9 ↗
50. S.H. Wemple, M. Didomenico, Behavior of the electronic dielectric constant in covalent and ionic materials. Phys. Rev. B 3, 1338–1351 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.3.133810.1103/PhysRevB.3.1338 ↗
51. S. Venkatajalapathi, K. Ramesh, K.R. Murali, Pulse electrodeposited AgInS2 films. J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron. 25, 3332–3336 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-014-2022-z10.1007/s10854-014-2022-z ↗
52. N. A. Bakr, A. M. Funde, V. S. Waman, M. M. Kamble, R. R. Hawaldar, D. P. Amalnerkar, S. W. Gosavi, S. R. Jadkar, Determination of the optical parameters of a-Si: H thin films deposited by hot wire-chemical vapour deposition technique using transmission spectrum only. J. Phys. 76, 519–531 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12043-011-0024-410.1007/s12043-011-0024-4 ↗
53. S.H. Wemple, Refractive-index behavior of amorphous semiconductors and glasses. Phys. Rev. B 7, 3767–3777 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.7.376710.1103/PhysRevB.7.3767 ↗
54. E.D. Palik, Handbook of Optical Constants of Solids (Academic, New York, 1985)
55. G.A. Kumar, J. Thomas, N. George, B.A. Kumar, P. Radhakrishnan, V.P.N. Nampoori, C.P.G. Vallabhan, Optical absorption studies of free (H2Pc) and rare earth (RePc) phthalocyanine doped borate glasses. Phys. Chem. Glasses 41, 89–93 (2000)
56. R. Adair, L.L. Chase, S.A. Payne, Nonlinear refractive index of optical crystals. Phys. Rev. B 39, 3337–3350 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.39.333710.1103/PhysRevB.39.3337 ↗
57. R.H. French, Origins and applications of London dispersion forces and Hamaker constants in ceramics. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 83, 2117–2146 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1151-2916.2000.tb01527.x10.1111/j.1151-2916.2000.tb01527.x ↗
58. G.L. Tan, L.K. Denoyer, R.H. French, M.J. Guittetd, M. Gautier-Soyerd, Kramers–Kronig transform for the surface energy loss function. J. Electron Spectrosc. Relat. Phenom. 142, 97–103 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elspec.2004.09.00210.1016/j.elspec.2004.09.002 ↗
59. K. Anshu, A. Sharma, Study of Se based quaternary Se–Pb–(Bi, Te) chalcogenide thin films for their linear and nonlinear optical properties. Optik 127, 48–54 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijleo.2015.09.22810.1016/j.ijleo.2015.09.228 ↗
60. S. Sarkar, N.S. Das, K.K. Chattopadhyay, Optical constants, dispersion energy parameters and dielectric properties of ultra-smooth nanocrystalline BiVO4 thin films prepared by RF-magnetron sputtering. Solid State Sci. 33, 58–66 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solidstatesciences.2014.04.00810.1016/j.solidstatesciences.2014.04.008 ↗
61. T.K. Pietrzak, J.E. Garbarczyk, I. Gorzkowska, M. Wasiucionek, J.L. Nowinski, S. Gierlotka, P. Jozwiak, Correlation between electrical properties and microstructure of nanocrystallized V2O5–P2O5 glasses. J. Power Sources 194, 73–80 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2009.02.03110.1016/j.jpowsour.2009.02.031 ↗
62. I.K. El Zawawi, M.A. Mahdy, Air-stable Cd0.23Zn0.77Te nanostructure thin films. J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron. 26, 1950–1958 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-014-2634-310.1007/s10854-014-2634-3 ↗
63. N.F. Mott, E.A. Davis, Electronic Processes in Non-crystalline Materials (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1971)
64. M.A. Mahdy, I.A. Mahdy, I.K. El Zawawi, Characterization of Pb24Te76 quantum dot thin film synthesized by inert gas condensation. Spectrochim. Acta A 134, 302–309 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.saa.2014.06.05510.1016/j.saa.2014.06.055 ↗
65. G. Yepifanov, Physical Principles of Microelectronics (Mir Publisher, Moscow, 1974)
66. I.K. El Zawawi, M.A. Mahdy, Synthesis and characterization of low particle size nanocrystalline SnSe thin films. J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron. 24, 2106–2111 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-013-1065-x10.1007/s10854-013-1065-x ↗