LAUSR

Abstract Post-deposition annealing of thin films can induce significant changes in their properties. Annealing in vacuum is particularly important because it elucidates the influence of thermal energy rather than the effects of chemical interactions with a specific ambient. Cadmium telluride (CdTe) is one of the most promising materials for photovoltaic applications. Annealing in cadmium chloride has been established as the standard method to activate the efficiency of CdTe. Nevertheless, annealing CdTe in vacuum was rarely investigated. In this work, CdTe thin films were grown by thermal evaporation, and subsequently subjected to annealing in vacuum. The resulting changes in the structural, chemical, optical, and photoelectric properties of the films were investigated. Annealing caused substantial changes in the crystallinity, surface morphology, surface chemical composition, light absorption, photocurrent and photoresponse of the films.