Optical monitoring of partial vapor pressures in CdTe and CdZnTe systems: a new tool for material technology development

A technique for the determination of the partial pressures of Cd and Te₂ vapors in equilibrium with cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) crystals has been developed. The technique has shown a large range of applicability. First of all, the technique can be used for the in-situ monitoring of the partial vapor pressures in the case of technological relevant processes, such as material purification and crystal growth. Moreover, the technique is applied to the characterization of the composition of CdZnTe crystals with a sensitivity of at least two orders of magnitude more than previously reported techniques