CdTe thin films deposited by the CSS (close spaced sublimation) method, with adequate properties to be used as absorber layer in solar cells, were submitted to a chemical treatment in a saturated CdCl 2 solution, followed by thermal annealing in air at 400°C, in order to improve the electronic properties. The effect of chemical and thermal treatments on the morphological and crystallographic properties was studied through atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. The studies revealed that the CdTe grows in the cubic phase and that the postdeposition treatments affect the morphology as well as the crystallographic properties; the effect on the morphology is significantly stronger. Increase of the grain size and roughness was observed in samples treated chemically and thermally. On the other hand, no effects were identified on the crystalline structure as induced by the treatments, although recrystallization was observed after thermal annealing.