Although CdS and PbS quantum dot-sensitized TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs/QDs) show photocatalytic activity in the visible-light region, the low internal quantum efficiency and the slow interfacial hole transfer rate limit their applications. This work modified the surface of the TNTAs/QDs photoelectrodes with metal-oxide overlayers by atomic layer deposition (ALD), such as coating Al2O3, TiO2, a...

Several strategies are currently being investigated for conversion of incident sunlight into renewable sources of energy, and photocatalytic or photoelectrochemical production of solar fuels can provide an important alternative. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been heavily investigated as a material of choice due to its excellent optoelectronic properties and stability, and anion-doping proposed as...

The development of new heterostructures with high photoactivity is a breakthrough for the limitation solar-driven water splitting. Here, we first introduce indium oxide (In2O3) nanorods (NRs) as novel electron transport layer bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) short charge diffusion length. In2O3 NRs reinforce and hole blocking BiVO4, surpassing state-of-the-art photoelectrochemical performances BiVO4-ba...

A fundamental issue that limits the efficiency of many photoelectrochemical systems is that the photon absorption length is typically much longer than the electron diffusion length. Various photon management schemes have been developed to enhance light absorption; one simple approach is to use randomly scattering media to enable broadband and wide-angle enhancement. However, such systems are of...

Fabrication of a monocrystalline silicon based heterojunction film at room-temperature in a time-efficient manner is desirable for energy and environmental considerations. In this report, a gas-solid phase direct elemental reaction (DER) route to realize this aim by firstly depositing an elemental copper layer on a monocrystalline silicon surface followed by a reaction with iodine vapor is desc...

Two challenging problems still remain for optical absorbers consisting of an ultrathin planar semiconductor film on top of an opaque metallic substrate. One is the angle-insensitive mechanism and the other is the system design needed for broadband solar energy harvesting. Here, first we theoretically demonstrates that the high refractive index, instead of the ultrathin feature as reported in pr...

Due to energy crises in the future, much effort is being directed towards alternate sources. Solar energy is accepted as a novel substitute for conventional sources of energy. Out of the long list of various types of solar cells available on the market, solid state photoelectrochemical solar cells (SSPECs) and dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are proposed as an alternative to costly crystalli...

We investigated photoelectrochemical water splitting properties of Pt-In2S3/CuInS2 photocathodes from near neutral toward basic condition (pH 6, 9, and 13). Half-cell solar-to-hydrogen (HC-STH) of Pt-In2S3/CuInS2 measured under 0.2 M NaH2PO4 was the highest when the pH of the solution was 13 (4.7% at 0.42 V vs. RHE) with a maximum photocurrent density of 16.3 mA cm-2 (at 0 V vs. RHE) and onset ...