American Elements: Cadmium Telluride Supplier & Tech Info

Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) is a crystal grown product generally immediately available in most volumes. technical, research and safety (MSDS) information is available as is a Reference Calculator for converting relevant units of measurement. Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) is also available as Quantum Dots. CdTe Quantum Dots have the widest wavelength range reaching sizes as small as less then 500 nm; within the range sufficient to emit light in the blue-white range. Cadmium Telluride Quantum Dots are charged aqueous soluble nano crystals with narrow emission spectra from 490 nm to 740 nm. Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) is also used in solar energy and advanced optical applications.

Cadmium is a Block D, Group 12, Period 5 element. The electronic configuration is [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s². In its elemental form cadmium's CAS number is 7440-43-9. The cadmium atom has a radius of 148.9.pm and it's Van der Waals radius is 158.pm. Cadmium is a component of some of the lowest melting alloys; it is used in bearing alloys with low coefficients of friction and great resistance to fatigue. Cadmium is used extensively in electroplating, which accounts for about 60% of its use. It is also used in many types of solder, for standard E.M.F. cells, for nickel-cadmium batteries, and as a barrier to control nuclear fission. Cadmium compounds are used in black and white television phosphors and in blue and green phosphors for color television tubes and CRT monitors. Cadmium in glass and ceramic glazes creates a distinctive cadmium yellow. It forms a number of compounds, of which the sulfate is most common; the sulfide is used as a yellow pigment. Cadmium is similar to carbon in that it has a capacity to form stable covalently bonded molecular networks. Cadmium was first discovered by Fredrich Stromeyer in 1817.

Tellurium is a Block P, Group 16, Period 5 element. The electronic configuration is [Kr] 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁴. In its elemental form tellurium's CAS number is 13494-80-9. The tellurium atom has a radius of 143.2.pm and it's Van der Waals radius is 206.pm. Tellurium is a p-type semiconductor, and shows greater conductivity in certain directions, depending on alignment of the atoms. It is grown in crystalline form with other elements such as indium telluride. Its conductivity increases slightly with exposure to light which makes many tellurides candidates for solar energy applications. . Tellurium improves the machinability of copper and stainless steel, and its addition to lead decreases the corrosive action of sulfuric acid on lead and improves its strength and hardness. Tellurium is used as a basic ingredient in blasting caps, and is added to cast iron for chill control. Tellurium is used in ceramics. Bismuth telluride has been used in thermoelectric devices. Iron is available as metal and compounds with purities from 99% to 99.999% (ACS grade to ultra-high purity); metals in the form of foil, sputtering target, and rod, and compounds as submicron and nanopowder. Tellurium was first discovered by Franz Muller von Reichenstein in 1782.

American Elements semi conducting materials are crystal structures produced from ultra high purity starting materials synthesized by our high purity production facility which includes several large electric muffle furnaces, a tube furnace for hydrogen reduction, 50 gallon glass-lined Pfaudler reactors supported by our analytical laboratory containing X-ray diffraction, SEM, AA, BET surface area, and ICP Spectrometry for trace metals analysis. See a discussion of American Elements Ultra High Purity and Analytical capabilities. See Crystal Growth for processes used to fabricate semiconductor materials, which include:

Crystal "pulling" by the Czochaiski method for production of semiconductor materials
Flux growth and gradient freeze
Directional solidification of fluorites using both the Bridgman-Stockbarger and float zoning techniques