Abstract
Thermally evaporated ZnTe films were investigated as a back contact material for CdS/CdTe solar cells. Two deposition methods, coevaporation and double-layer methods, were used for Cu doping in ZnTe films. ZnTe layers (0.2$\mu\textrm{m}$ thick) were deposited either on glass or on CdS/CdTe substrates without intentional heating of the substrates. Post-deposition annealing was performed at 200,300 and $400^{\circ}C$ for 3,6 and 9 minutes, respectively. Band gap of 2.2eV was measured for both undoped and doped films and a slight change in the shape of absorption spectra was observed in Cu-doped samples after annealing at $400^{\circ}C$. The resistivity of as-deposited ZnTe decreased from 10\ulcorner~10\ulcornerΩcm down to 10\ulcornerΩcm as Cu concentration increased from 0 to 14 at.%. There was not a noticeable change in less of annealing temperature up to $300^{\circ}C$ whereas films annealed at $400^{\circ}C$ revealed hexagonal (101) orientations as well. Some of Cu-doped ZnTe revealed x-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks related with Cu\ulcornerTe(x=1.75~2). Grain growth was observed from about 20nm in as-deposited films to 50nm after annealing at $400^{\circ}C$ by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Cu distribution in ZnTe films was not uniform according to Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) measurements.
