The diffusion of Cl into CdTe

Abstract

Results on the diffusion of Cl into CdTe are described. Diffusion anneals were carried out at selected temperatures in the range between 200 degrees C and 700 degrees C in evacuated SiO2 ampoules using a diffusion source of CdCl2 under saturated vapour pressure conditions. The concentration profiles were measured using a radiotracer sectioning technique. The profiles were found to be composed of four parts, to which a computer package consisting of the sum of four complementary error functions (erfc) gave satisfactory fits to the data. The fastest-diffusing component gave values of the diffusivity that agreed with previously published results. Proposals explaining how this type of diffusion may occur are given.