cadmium telluride

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) is an artificially created crystalline compound used in the manufacture of photovoltaic cells. These cells convert light into electricity using a thin film of cadmium telluride. While CdTe solar cells are less efficient than crystalline silicon devices, they are cheaper to produce and have the potential to surpass silicon in cost-effectiveness per kilowatt of installed capacity. The CdTe thin film can be deposited quickly, making it suitable for mass production. Each cell consists of a window layer of n-doped cadmium sulfide and an absorber layer of p-doped cadmium telluride. Despite its advantages, cadmium is a cumulative poison, raising health and environmental concerns regarding its use and disposal, although proponents argue that in thin-film solar cells, it is stable and encapsulated.12