The p-type doping of vacuum deposited ZnTe thin films with bismuth by a new technique of using nano-spheres

The present paper reports the successful doping of vacuum evaporated zinc telluride (ZnTe) thin films with bismuth by a new technique of using nano-spheres. The discontinuous films of bismuth (the dopant material), containing bismuth in the form of nano-spheres, were prepared by vacuum evaporation and the ZnTe films were then deposited on top of them. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were used to ascertain the formation of discontinuous bismuth films and the proper diffusion of bismuth in ZnTe films, respectively. After doping, the carrier concentration of the ZnTe films was found to increase by an order of the magnitude. The electrical conductivity also improved significantly. The photoconductivity and photo-response properties of the doped films were also analysed.