Abstract
We investigate the possibilities for electrodeposition of II–VI compounds on porous substrates. ZnTe and CdTe are deposited on porous TiO2 and characterised by scanning electron microscopy and electrical measurements. It is shown that CdTe can be deposited as a homogeneous film covering a highly structured substrate in conformal manner, while ZnTe is able to fill up the porous structure to a certain extent. However, the ZnTe deposition exhibits a strong tendency for irregular growth, and a smooth top surface has so far not been obtained. These morphological differences can be attributed to different deposition mechanisms. While CdTe growth is characterised by a chemical autoregulation mechanism that allows stoichiometric deposition, ZnTe deposition appears to show a higher dependence on potential and Te concentration. As a consequence, exposed regions of the substrate are more readily covered with ZnTe. The growth near the SnO2 contact is apparently zinc rich, indicating a potential drop over the TiO2 together with a diffusion limitation for Te. Despite inhomogeneous growth, efficient electron transfer from the ZnTe to the TiO2 substrate is observed.
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