The structure and growth of thin films of CdS, CdSe and CdTe condensed in vacuum on to polished stainless steel substrates at room temperature

Polycrystalline films of CdS, CdSe, and CdTe up to 10 4 AA thick were condensed on to polished stainless steel substrates initially at room temperature in residual air at pressures from 5*10 -3 to 10 -7 Torr, at normal and oblique vapour incidence. Surface structures at a series of film thicknesses were determined by high-energy electron diffraction. Randomly disposed hexagonal crystals were observed up to a thickness H, at the surfaces of films condensed at residual air pressure p after which strong (0001) orientation was developed in the further deposition. At normal incidence H was approximately 1000 AA for p=5*10 -3 Torr, and H rose with decrease in p, up to approximately 1500 AA at 5*10 -7 Torr.