Transparent conductive oxide thin films of CdTe-doped indium oxide prepared by pulsed-laser deposition

Transparent conducting oxide thin film CdTe-doped indium oxide (In2O3) has been grown by pulsed-laser deposition from a target of CdTe powder embedded in metallic indium. The electro-optical and structural properties were investigated as a function of oxygen partial pressure (PO2) and substrate temperature (Ts). A film deposited at Ts=420 °C and PO2=4 Pa shows the minimum resistivity ∼7.5×10−4 Ω cm, its optical transmission is 83% and the carrier concentration was ∼8.9×1020 cm3. The optical band gap and the average roughness of that sample were 3.6 eV and ∼6.45 Å, respectively. X-ray diffraction studies indicated that the films were polycrystalline. This material is a good candidate for being used as transparent conductor in the CdTe–CdS solar cell.