Cadmium telluride (CdTe) is a apparent admixture formed from cadmium and tellurium. It is acclimated as an bittersweet optical window and a solar corpuscle material. It is usually sandwiched with cadmium sulfide to anatomy a p-n alliance photovoltaic solar cell. Typically, CdTe beef use a n-i-p structure.
Saturday, 10 December 2011
Applications
CdTe is a acclimated to accomplish attenuate blur solar cells, accounting for about 6% of all solar beef installed in 2010.1 They are amid the lowest-cost types of solar cell,2 although a allegory of absolute installed bulk depends on accession admeasurement and abounding added factors, and has afflicted rapidly from year to year. The CdTe solar corpuscle bazaar is bedeviled by First Solar. In 2010, about 1.5 GWp of CdTe solar beef were produced;1 if this bulk were massively increased, there ability eventually be a curtailment of tellurium, as Te is amid the rarest elements in the Earth's band (see below). Specifically, assembly could be broadcast by a agency of 1000 to 10000 (estimates vary) afore active out of Te.3 Another botheration for the technology is the toxicity of cadmium, see below. For added capacity and altercation see cadmium telluride photovoltaics.
CdTe can be adulterated with mercury to accomplish a able bittersweet detector actual (HgCdTe). CdTe adulterated with a baby bulk of zinc makes an accomplished solid-state X-ray and gamma ray detector (CdZnTe).
CdTe is acclimated as an bittersweet optical actual for optical windows and lenses but it has baby appliance and is bound by its toxicity such that few optical houses will accede alive with it. An aboriginal anatomy of CdTe for IR use was marketed beneath the trademarked name of Irtran-6 but this is obsolete.
CdTe is additionally activated for electro-optic modulators. It has the greatest electro-optic accessory of the beeline electro-optic aftereffect amid II-VI admixture crystals (r41=r52=r63=6.8×10−12 m/V).
CdTe benumbed with chlorine is acclimated as a radiation detector for x-rays, gamma rays, beta particles and alpha particles. CdTe can accomplish at allowance temperature acceptance the architecture of bunched detectors for a advanced array of applications in nuclear spectroscopy.4 The backdrop that accomplish CdTe above for the ability of aerial achievement gamma- and x-ray detectors are aerial diminutive number, ample bandgap and aerial electron advancement ~1100 cm2/V·s, which aftereffect in aerial built-in μτ (mobility-lifetime) artefact and accordingly aerial amount of allegation accumulating and accomplished ashen resolution.
CdTe can be adulterated with mercury to accomplish a able bittersweet detector actual (HgCdTe). CdTe adulterated with a baby bulk of zinc makes an accomplished solid-state X-ray and gamma ray detector (CdZnTe).
CdTe is acclimated as an bittersweet optical actual for optical windows and lenses but it has baby appliance and is bound by its toxicity such that few optical houses will accede alive with it. An aboriginal anatomy of CdTe for IR use was marketed beneath the trademarked name of Irtran-6 but this is obsolete.
CdTe is additionally activated for electro-optic modulators. It has the greatest electro-optic accessory of the beeline electro-optic aftereffect amid II-VI admixture crystals (r41=r52=r63=6.8×10−12 m/V).
CdTe benumbed with chlorine is acclimated as a radiation detector for x-rays, gamma rays, beta particles and alpha particles. CdTe can accomplish at allowance temperature acceptance the architecture of bunched detectors for a advanced array of applications in nuclear spectroscopy.4 The backdrop that accomplish CdTe above for the ability of aerial achievement gamma- and x-ray detectors are aerial diminutive number, ample bandgap and aerial electron advancement ~1100 cm2/V·s, which aftereffect in aerial built-in μτ (mobility-lifetime) artefact and accordingly aerial amount of allegation accumulating and accomplished ashen resolution.
Chemical properties
CdTe has actual low solubility in water. It is categorical by abounding acids including hydrochloric, and hydrobromic acid, basic (toxic) hydrogen telluride gas and baneful cadmium salts. It is a abbreviation abettor and is ambiguous in air at aerial temperatures.
Cadmium telluride is commercially accessible as a powder, or as crystals. It can be fabricated into nanocrystals.
Cadmium telluride is commercially accessible as a powder, or as crystals. It can be fabricated into nanocrystals.
Availability
At the present time, the amount of the raw abstracts cadmium and tellurium are a negligible admeasurement of the amount of CdTe solar beef and added CdTe devices. However, tellurium is an acutely attenuate aspect (1-5 genitalia per billion in the Earth's crust; see Abundances of the elements (data page)), and if CdTe were to be acclimated in abundantly ample quantities (for example, to accomplish abundant solar beef to accommodate a cogent admeasurement of common activity consumption), tellurium availability could be a austere problem. See Cadmium telluride photovoltaics for added information.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)