Growth and Characterization of Wide-Gap $Cd_{1-x}Zn_{x}Se$ Ternary Alloys by Using Electron Beam Evaporation Technique

$Cd_{1-x}Zn_{x}Se$ films with different zinc content were deposited by electron beam evaporation technique onto glass substrates for the application of solid-state photovoltaic devices. The structural, surface morphological and optical properties of $Cd_{1-x}Zn_{x}Se$ films have been studied in the present work. The host material, $Cd_{1-x}Zn_{x}Se$, has been prepared by the physical vapor deposition method of electron beam evaporation technique under the pressure of 1 × $10^{-5}$ mbar. The X-ray diffractogram indicates that these alloy films are polycrystalline in nature, of hexagonal structure with strong preferential orientation of the crystallites along (002) direction. Linear variation of lattice constant with composition (x) is observed. Surface roughness measured by atomic force microscopy is used to estimate the interface roughness. The optical properties show that the band gap $(E_{g})$ values vary from 2.08 to 2.64 eV as zinc content varies from 0.2 to 0.8. The surface morphological studies show the very small, fine and hardly distinguishable grains smeared all over the surface. The material properties would be altered and excellently controlled by adiusting the system composition x.