Cadmium telluride oxide films (CdTe:O) were grown by a radio frequency sputtering technique using a controlled plasma (Ar-N2O) on glass slide substrates. The films were studied by Auger electron spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction. We demonstrate that with N2O the oxidation process occurs in a narrow range of partial pressures of nitrous oxide. We find that the films are amorphous and the amount of oxygen incorporated in the films depends on the N2O partial pressure and saturates at about 55 at. % oxygen. As the amount of oxygen increases the number of Te-O and Cd-O bonds increases. The compounds formed depend on the partial pressure of the N2O and are of the form Cd(x)Te(y)O(z). When saturation of oxygen is obtained the compound formed is probably CdTe2O5.