II-VI semiconductor compound

[1] They generally exhibit large band gaps, making them popular for short wavelength applications in optoelectronics.

In particular, III-V semiconductor compounds like gallium arsenide are frequently used as cheap substrates, resulting in stronger tensions between substrate and growth layer and (generally) lower optoelectronic properties.

Especially wide bandgap II-VI semiconductor compounds are expected to be very good candidates for high performance applications, such as light emitting diodes and laser diodes for blue and ultraviolet applications.

[3] Ternary compounds are one option to vary the band gap of semiconductors almost continuously over a wide energy range.

In particular, materials with very different lattice constants or different crystal phases (wurtzite or zincblende in this case) are difficult to combine.

Very pure cadmium telluride crystal for semiconductor applications
Diagram of the band gap plotted versus the lattice parameter a of the ternary alloy combinations of ZnO, CdO and MgO