Electrodeposition of Compact Tellurium Thick Films from Alkaline Baths

Compact semiconducting tellurium thick films (i.e., upto 50 μm) were electrodeposited at high rates (>100 μm h −1 ) with great current efficiency (>85%) by optimizing the electrolyte composition (TeO 3 2− concentration and pH) and deposition potential. The preferred orientation of as-deposited Te films changed from (001) to (101) direction as the deposition potential becomes more cathodic. Average grain size ranged from 66 to 135 nm depending the deposition parameters. Electrodeposited Te films were p-type semiconductors with the carrier concentration ranged from ∼7.0 × 10 18 to ∼3.1 × 10 19 cm −3 . The carrier concentration of Te films strongly dependent on the average grain size where larger average grain size resulted in a lower carrier concentration because of less structural defects.