Structural and optical properties of thin CdTe films in the visible and infrared regions

CdTe thin films have been deposited by thermal evaporation on heated glass substrates. Structural properties of the CdTe thin films were studied by scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Optical properties were examined by ellipsometry and Fourier spectroscopy. We revealed the low absorption of the synthesized thin films in the infrared (IR) region. We investigated the sensing capability of metal / dielectric / dielectric structures based on a CdTe waveguide layer and gold thick film. The reflectivity spectra of the structures with the water, ethanol, and isopropanol as sensing media exhibit resonance line shapes. The positions of the resonances correspond to those of local maximal values of the solvents absorption. The obtained results can be used for developing the applications of optical resonances in the IR region.