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.