Cadmium
Telluride
CdTe
Cadmium
telluride is a crystalline compound which is formed from cadmium and
tellurium with a zinc blende crystal structure. It is a direct bandgap
semiconductor in the bulk crystalline form.
Cadmium telluride is a useful material for solar cells
(photovoltaics). Though it is economical than silicon, particularly in
thin-film solar cell technology, but it is not as effiecient. It is
sometimes alloyed with mercury and forms a versatile infrared detector
material (HgCdTe). Cadmium telluride alloyed with a small amount of
zinc forms a very good solid-state x-ray and gamma ray detector
(CdZnTe).
It is also used as an infrared optical material for optical lenses
and windows.
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