Bi2Te3 thin films were fabricated by vacuum co-evaporation and the properties of the films were investigated using X-ray diffraction, Hall measurements, and synchrotron radiation photoemission spectroscopy. The results indicate that p-type Bi2Te3 films, which have a work function of about 5.4 eV and carrier concentration of the order of 10(21) cm(-3), are a rhombohedral phase with a strong (105) preferred orientation. A co-evaporated Bi2Te3 buffer layer was used for a back contact to CdTe thin film solar cells. C-V measurements, light and dark J-V measurements, and spectral response analysis also show that the p back contact has greatly enhanced cell performance. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.