Understanding the in-situ transformation of Cu_xO interlayers to increase the water splitting efficiency in NiO/n-Si photoanodes.

ABSTRACT: The buried interface tens of nanometers beneath the solid-liquid junction is crucial for photocarrier extraction, influencing the overall efficiency of photoelectrochemical devices. Precise characterization of the interfacial properties is essential for device optimization but remains challenging. Here, we directly probe the in situ transformation of a Cu_xO interlayer at the NiO/n-Si interface by hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It is found that Cu(I) in the Cu_xO interlayer gradually transforms to Cu(II) with air exposure, forming an energetically more favorable interface and improving photoanode's efficiency. Based on this finding, a reactive e-beam evaporation process is developed for the direct deposition of a CuO interlayer, achieving a half-cell solar-to-hy

SUBMITTER: Feng C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11291650 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature