Abstract: Ternary II-VI semiconductor films (16) are formed on a silicon substrate (12) by first depositing a monolayer of arsenic (14) or other Group V metal on a cleaned surface of the substrate. The ternary II-VI semiconductor film is then formed over the arsenic monolayer, either directly thereon or on top of an intermediate II-VI semiconductor buffer layer (18). The use of an arsenic passivating layer facilitates the epitaxial deposition of technologically important II-VI semiconductors such as ZnTe, CdTe, and HgCdTe on silicon substrates of arbitrary crystallographic orientation.