Porosity and Tellurium-Enrichment of Anodized p-Cd0.95Zn0.05Te

摘要

In contrast to several other p-type compoundsemiconductors, p-Cd0.95Zn0.05Te becomes porous by anodictreatment in acidic solution. Porous layers more than 100μmthick can be obtained by prolonged anodization in 0.5 M H2SO4.Coulometry and chemical analysis by X-ray photoelectronspectroscopy indicate that the pore walls are covered by a film ofelemental tellurium, and the presence of this passivating film maypartly explain why anodic etching of the p-type material yields aporous morphology. The porosity, the tellurium-enrichment, andtheir effects on the photoelectrochemical properties are discussedand compared to reports for other semiconductor materials.