In this study, polycrystalline Cu-foil substrates are exposed to elemental Te vapor at substrate temperatures below 373 K. Auger electron spectroscopy measurements indicate that copper-telluride films are formed at the substrate surface that have a 2: 1 Cu-to-Te ratio, as predicted by the Cu-Te phase diagram. When these films are annealed above about 700 K in vacuum, Te desorbs from the substrate with zero-order kinetics. An analysis of Te-desorption traces that assumes the reaction Cu2Te(s)-> 2Cu(s)+alpha Te(nu)+1/2(1-alpha)Te-2(nu) finds a thermal-decomposition activation energy of 217 3 U mol(-1). These Te-desorption data are compared to the Te impingement rate calculated from CU2Te equilibrium vapor-pressure data from the literature and found to be in excellent agreement. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.