Epitaxial growth of cadmium telluride films on silicon with a buffer silicon carbide layer

An epitaxial 1–3-$\mu$m-thick cadmium telluride film has been grown on silicon with a buffer silicon carbide layer using the method of open thermal evaporation and condensation in vacuum for the first time. The optimum substrate temperature was 500$^\circ$C at an evaporator temperature of 580°C, and the growth time was 4 s. In order to provide more qualitative growth of cadmium telluride, a high-quality 100-nm-thick buffer silicon carbide layer was previously synthesized on the silicon surface using the method of topochemical substitution of atoms. The ellipsometric, Raman, X-ray diffraction, and electron-diffraction analyses showed a high structural perfection of the CdTe layer in the absence of a polycrystalline phase.