Abstract
Epitaxial CdTe has been grown onto Si(111) by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) with the aid of a graded CaF2‐BaF2 buffer layer. The buffer of ∼2000 Å thickness was used to overcome the large lattice mismatch of 19%; it was deposited by MBE in a separate system. The ∼10‐μm‐thick CdTe films exhibited specular surfaces and showed strong photoluminescence. The width of the near‐band‐edge peak at 77 K was 12 meV, and (333) x‐ray lines were about 80 arc s wide. These values indicate a high structural quality, comparable to well‐known CdTe layers on alternate substrates like GaAs, InSb, or sapphire.