Cadmium sulphide (CdS), a member of group II-VI semiconductors, is a promising material based on its applications. The present investigations describe the preparation and electrical characterization of CdS thin films. CdS thin films with thickness of 1000 nm were deposited by vacuum evaporation at room temperature. Characteristic parameters of Schottky junctions formed by a thermal vapor deposition of 500 nm of Al films on pre-coated CdS glass substrates were obtained experimentally from the I-V characteristics in the temperature range of 303-393 K. Diode parameters, such as the zero-bias barrier height φ b0 , flat band barrier height Φ bf , ideality factor η, and series resistance R S were investigated using the thermionic emission method.

Physical vapour technique (PVT) is a versatile method to grow IIVI semiconductors. In present investigations, CdS crystals have been grown by this method using dual zone micro processor controlled horizontal furnace. CdS crystals grown in present case have been characterized by EDAX for stoichiometric conformation. The roughness of surface of grown CdS crystals has been studied in detail using optical microscopy, SEM and AFM. The surface topography study of as grown crystals has been carried out to understand the growth mechanism which was necessary for its application in electronic devices.