Amorphous silicon–tellurium alloy thin films were fabricated by coevaporation over the composition range of 0–82 at. % Te. The electronic and optical properties of these films were systematically investigated over this same range of composition. The optical gap of these films was found to decrease monotonically with increasing Te content. Conduction near room temperature was due to extended state conduction, while variable range hopping dominated below 250 K. The incorporation of Te in concentrations of less than 1 at. % was found to produce an increase in the density of localized states at the Fermi level and a decrease in the activation energy. This was attributed to the Te being incorporated as a substitutional, fourfold coordinated, double donor in a-Si. At approximately 60 at. % Te, a decrease in the density of localized states at the Fermi level, and an increase in the activation energy and photoresponse was indicated. This was attributed to the possible formation of a less defective a-Si:Te compound.