The influence of oxygen and annealing in the presence of CdCl2 on the photoluminescence (PL) spectra of CdTe, component of SnO2/CdTe heterojunction (HJ), has been studied in a temperature range of 17-100 K. The changes in the photoluminescence spectra were studied as a function of excitation intensity. Analysis of the PL spectra was carried out with considerations of spectra obtained from CdS/CdTe heterojunctions. CdTe side PL (SnO2/CdTe HD consisted of 1.450 eV similar to DA defect band and 1.243 eV band (17 K). Annealing resulted in the disappearance of 1.243 eV band in oxygen containing samples. Interface PL for the unannealed samples consisted of mainly the 1.264 eV and a trace of the defect band. The CdCl2 treatment is responsible for an almost symmetrical 1.416 eV band. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.