Alkaline electrolyte: toward high-quality CdTe films with the assistance of strong complexing agent and organic base.

CdTe films were electrochemically deposited from an alkaline solution with the assistance of nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) and tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH). CdTe film prepared at the complexing ratio of 14 : 1 was well-crystallized and highly (111)-oriented; after annealing, it was free of voids with good interface contact. The deposition is demonstrated to occur via UPD mechanism. TMAH prevented the introduction of alkaline metal ions into CdTe films. This provides a novel approach for depositing CdTe films at the lower temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]