CdTe

semiconductor

· CdTe

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) is a II-VI compound semiconductor with a zinc-blende crystal structure, widely recognized as a direct-bandgap material suitable for optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications. It is a primary material for thin-film solar cells and X-ray/gamma-ray detectors due to its favorable band gap and high atomic number, offering superior light absorption and radiation sensitivity compared to silicon-based alternatives. CdTe's established industrial presence in utility-scale photovoltaic manufacturing and medical imaging systems makes it a proven choice where efficiency, compactness, and radiation detection capability are critical; however, its toxicity and cadmium content impose strict handling and regulatory considerations that engineers must account for in design and deployment.

thin-film photovoltaic cellsX-ray/gamma-ray detectorsnuclear medicine imaginghigh-efficiency solar modulesspace-qualified solar panelsradiation detection sensors

Compliance & Regulations

?EAR?Conflict Free?RoHS?REACH?TSCA?Prop 65

Units:

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Method

Property	Value	Unit	Conditions	Source
Bulk Modulus(K)3 entries	5,077.3	ksi	DFT
↳	5,476.6	ksi	DFT · OptB88vdW
↳	5,121.1	ksi	DFT · PBE
Elastic Compliance Tensor(Sij)	Matrix (redacted)	1/GPa	DFT · PBE
Elastic Anisotropy(AU)	0.7988	-	DFT · PBE
Elastic Stiffness Tensor(Cij)	Matrix (redacted)	ksi	DFT · PBE
Poisson's Ratio(ν)2 entries	0.3500	-	DFT · OptB88vdW
↳	0.3299	-	DFT · PBE
Shear Modulus(G)3 entries	1,903.9	ksi	DFT
↳	1,811.5	ksi	DFT · OptB88vdW
↳	1,964.9	ksi	DFT · PBE

N entriesMultiple entries per property — large groups are collapsed; click a summary row to expand. Use filters above to narrow by form, heat treatment, basis, or test environment.

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Property	Value	Unit	Conditions	Source
Thermal Conductivity(k)	3.854	BTU/(hr·ft·°F)	Measured

Verified Unverified Low confidence (<80%) Link to source

Property	Value	Unit	Conditions	Source
Density(ρ)	0.2018	lb/in³	DFT · OptB88vdW

Verified Unverified Low confidence (<80%) Link to source

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Method

Carrier

Property	Value	Unit	Conditions	Source
Band Gap(Eg)3 entries	1.500	eV	Measured
↳	0.4980	eV	DFT · OptB88vdW
↳	1.640	eV	DFT · TBmBJ
Dielectric Constant (Relative Permittivity)(εr)3 entries	14.82	-	DFT · OptB88vdW
↳	12.44	-	DFT · PBE
↳	10.03 range 8.683–11.37median of 2 measurements	-	DFT · PBEsol
High-Frequency Dielectric Constant (ε∞)(ε∞)2 entries	13.52	-	DFT · OptB88vdW
↳	6.546	-	DFT · TBmBJ
Electronic Dielectric Tensor(ε∞)	Matrix (redacted)	-	DFT · PBE
Total Dielectric Tensor(ε)	Matrix (redacted)	-	DFT · PBE
Electron Effective Mass(m*e)	0.09000	me	DFT · OptB88vdW · 27°C
Hole Effective Mass(m*h)	0.7700	me	DFT · OptB88vdW · 27°C
Magnetic Moment(μB)	0.000	µB	DFT · OptB88vdW
Piezoelectric Modulus(eij)2 entries	0.7497	C/m²	DFT · OptB88vdW
↳	0.00485	C/m²	DFT · PBE
Piezoelectric Stress Tensor(eij)	Matrix (redacted)	C/m²	DFT · PBE
Thermoelectric Power Factor(PF)2 entries	0.000167	W/(m·K²)	DFT · OptB88vdW · n-type · 1e20 cm⁻³ · 327°C
↳	0.00298	W/(m·K²)	DFT · OptB88vdW · p-type · 1e20 cm⁻³ · 327°C
Seebeck Coefficient(S)2 entries	-32.16	μV/K	DFT · OptB88vdW · n-type · 1e20 cm⁻³ · 327°C
↳	275.6	μV/K	DFT · OptB88vdW · p-type · 1e20 cm⁻³ · 327°C
Spectroscopic Limited Maximum Efficiency (SLME)(SLME)	30.38	%	DFT · TBmBJ

N entriesMultiple entries per property — large groups are collapsed; click a summary row to expand. Use filters above to narrow by form, heat treatment, basis, or test environment.

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Method

Property	Value	Unit	Conditions	Source
Energy Above Hull(ΔEhull)	0.00480	eV/atom	DFT · OptB88vdW
Formation Energy(ΔHf)2 entries	-0.4042	eV/atom	DFT · OptB88vdW
↳	-0.5224	eV/atom	Measured

N entriesMultiple entries per property — large groups are collapsed; click a summary row to expand. Use filters above to narrow by form, heat treatment, basis, or test environment.

Verified Unverified Low confidence (<80%) Link to source

Reference data from cited sources. Not verified or certified by MatWorld Inc. Verify against the source before use in design. Terms: engineering data

Regulatory Screening

Environmental

Export Control

RoHS, REACH, and Prop 65 statuses are validated against official substance lists (ECHA SVHC Candidate List, OEHHA Prop 65, RoHS Annex II). Other regulations are estimated from composition and material classification. All screening is a starting point for due diligence — always verify with your supplier before making compliance decisions.

CdTe — Properties & Data | MatWorld