The electrical and structural properties of thin metallic layers (Au, Pt, or Ru) on CdZnTe (CZT) deposited by electroless deposition method have been investigated by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) measurements. SEM and AFM techniques put in evidence the modification of the morphology and the contact's roughness dependence with the deposition time. The surface of the Pt or Ru layer on a CZT material presents micro-cracks at a critical thickness, whereas it does not occur with the Au layer. The thickness of the Au layer with different deposition times obtained by RBS indicates first a fast increase in thickness for short deposition times and then saturation to an asymptotic value of 120 nm after 1 h. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.