Effects of CdZnTe buffer layer thickness on properties of HgCdTe thin film grown by pulsed laser deposition

► We prepared HgCdTe thin film on CdZnTe/Si(1 1 1) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). ► The effects of CdZnTe buffer layer thickness which varied with the deposition time on the crystalline, morphology and other properties of HgCdTe thin films were analysed. ► The reasons about the variety of the crystalline quality and the composition of the HgCdTe epitaxial layer with the increase of the deposition time of the buffer layer were analysed.