Physico-Chemical nanomaterials science

Morphology and Growth Mechanisms of CdTe Thin Film
Nykyruy L.I.1, Yavorskyi R.S.1, Wisz G.2, Sawicka-Chudy P.2, 
Vakaliuk I.V.1, Naidych B.P.1, Yavorskyi Ya.S.1
1 Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpation National University, 
T. Shevchenko Str. 57, Ivano-Frankivsk-76018, Ukraine. 
E-mail: ivanna.maliarska@pnu.edu.ua 
2 Institute of Physics, College of Natural Science, University of Rzeszów, 1 Pigonia Street, 35-317 Rzeszów, Poland.

The photovoltaics is a popular and actively developing industry. The most common are materials based on silicon in the amorphous, nanocrystalline, polycrystalline phases and polycrystalline chalcogenide (sixth group) semiconductor compounds. The third class of new compounds is based on organometallic dyes and polymers [1]. The main characteristic that determines the parameters of the photovoltaic cell is the electrical efficiency. This parameter depends on the length and intensity of the incident sunlight, the type of photovoltaic cells, composition materials, and the components used in the solar module. Among chalcogenide materials, CdTe has higher temperature and radiation stability. This makes the material suitable for use at higher temperatures and resistant to ionizing radiation.
Thin films were grown on glass and (100) silicon substrates by physical vapor deposition technique at constant evaporation and substrate temperatures. The thickness was determined by the time (τ = (30–570) sec) of condensate deposition. Morphological and structural properties of CdTe thin films were studied using Atomic Force Microscope (CSM Instruments) and Scanning Electron Microscope (Vega 3 Tescan).
The morphology of the surface of cadmium telluride thin films was investigated by atomic force microscopy in periodic contact mode. The surfaces of the films have a "scaly" shape with normal dimensions of about 25 - 45 nm, which are more clearly distinguished on glass substrates. Analysis of the surface morphology of CdTe films indicates Stransky-Krastanov growth mechanism. After the growth of several layers of material, the formation of individual islands becomes predominant and then their growth continues.

1.	Chander, S., & Dhaka, M. S. Physical properties of vacuum evaporated CdTe thin films with post-deposition thermal annealing // Phys. E: Low-Dimens. Syst. Nanostructures. – 2015. – 73. – P. 35-39.