Properties of HgCdTe films obtained by laser deposition on a sapphire

Films of HgCdTe have been obtained by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) using: Nd:YAG pulse laser (40 ns, 1 J/pulse, λ=1.06 μm) and XeCl excimer laser (25 ns, 150 mJ/pulse, λ=0.308 μm). Layers were deposited on monocrystalline and amorphous surfaces of Al2O3. Samples were obtained when the substrate temperature was 300 and 500 K. Monocrystalline Hg1−xCdxTe (x=0.2) were used as a target. A thickness of layers obtained was in the range of 0.05–0.5 μm, depending on a type of laser used and on a number of shots. Surface morphology was investigated by electron scanning microscopy. The chemical composition of layers was determined by X-ray micro-analyses. The samples obtained were of good homogeneity and they reflected well the composition of the target. The structural properties of the samples were compared with results of the electrophysical measurements.