Fundamentals of the CdTe and CdZnTe bulk growth

The CdTe and CdZnTe growth are reviewed. After presenting briefly the most recent results concerning the phase equilibria in the Cd-Te system, the impact of the characteristics of the Cd-Te chemical bond on the CdTe crystal growth are discussed. The behaviour of Zn alloying in CdTe is then presented at macroscopic and microscopic scale. Furthermore, the strains introduced by the Zn segregation in the alloys are estimated and shown close to the CZT CRSS. Some improvements in the CZT growth are finally presented and discussed: the adjustment of the CZT stoichiometry, the Zn concentration uniformity issue and the strain issue in the alloys which can be overcome by microgravity growth, self-seeding from a free liquid surface, solid state recrystallization and/or dewetting. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)