Growth of single crystalline TaON on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)

Journal Article · Thu Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Journal of Solid State Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JSSC.2013.05.017· OSTI ID:22274015

Tao, Junguang; Chai, J. W.; Wong, L. M.; Zhang, Z.; Pan, J. S.

Owing to its high stability in aqueous solution and high quantum efficiency, tantalum based oxyntride (TaON) has attracted increasing attentions for application as visible light photocatalyst. However, despite the recent progress in photocatalytic studies, its bulk charge transport mechanisms are yet to be discovered because of the lack of single crystal sample. In this paper, high quality single crystalline TaON(100) thin film was prepared on cubic YSZ(100) surface by reactive RF magnetron sputtering to avail the understandings of charge transport mechanism so as to improve the device efficiency. The stoichiometry, crystal phase and structure were examined in situ by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ex situ by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TaON film crystallizes in monoclinic β-phase with its [010]/[001] directions aligned to those of the substrate. The small band gap of 2.5 eV as well as the high structure perfection suggests better performance for visible light water splitting. The method can be used to prepare other surface orientations to elucidate fundamental surface structure dependent photoactivities. - Graphical abstract: Structure of single crystalline β-TaON and its diffraction pole figure. Highlights: • High quality single crystal TaON(100) thin film were grown on YSZ(100) surface. • β-phase monoclinic TaON film is formed. • Its [010]/[001] directions are aligned to those of the substrate. • The small band gap and structure perfection suggest visible light photo-activity.

• OSTI ID: 22274015
• Journal Information: Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Vol. 204; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2013 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0022-4596
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
CHARGE TRANSPORT
MONOCLINIC LATTICES
MONOCRYSTALS
PHOTOCATALYSIS
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
SPUTTERING
STABILITY
SUBSTRATES
SURFACES
TANTALUM
THIN FILMS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
YTTRIUM OXIDES
ZIRCONIUM OXIDES