Stable CdTe Photoanodes with Energetics Matching Those of a Coating Intermediate Band

Chen, Xiangyan; Shen, Xin; Shen, Shaohua; Reese, Matthew O.; Hu, Shu

doi:10.1021/acsenergylett.0c00603

Stable CdTe Photoanodes with Energetics Matching Those of a Coating Intermediate Band

Journal Article · Thu May 14 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · ACS Energy Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.0c00603· OSTI ID:1660096

Chen, Xiangyan ^[1]; Shen, Xin ^[2]; ^[3]; ^[4]; ^[2]

Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States); Xi’an Jiaotong Univ., Shanxi (China)
Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States)
Xi’an Jiaotong Univ., Shanxi (China)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Here, a TiO₂ coating was grown on a CdTe absorber by atomic layer deposition for stabilization against its photocorrosion during photoelectrochemical water splitting. Under simulated sunlight (AM 1.5G, 100 mW cm^–2), this multilayer CdS/CdTe/TiO₂/Ni/NiO_x photoanode produced a light-limited photocurrent density of 24.5 ± 0.5 mA cm^–2 and a photovoltage of 780 ± 20 mV. This record energy-conversion performance was comparable to those of baseline CdS/CdTe solar cells and was achieved only after the development of proper CdTe surface treatments prior to coating the stabilization layer. The TiO₂ coating, with its in-gap charge-transport intermediate band, facilitates hole transport as light exits the CdTe/TiO₂ interface. With proper interfacial chemistry, the electrochemical potential energy of the coating intermediate band matched that of the CdTe valence band. Moreover, the stabilized CdS/CdTe/TiO₂/Ni/NiO_x photoanodes showed 100 h stability for water oxidation under light-on/light-off cycles. This study provides insightful guidance for designing stabilization contacts for efficient and stable light-driven water oxidation.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office; National Key Research and Development Program of China; China Scholarship Council (CSC)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1660096

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5K00-77353; MainId:26299; UUID:20a76e31-739a-4890-9285-3a6bae14ec05; MainAdminID:14086

Journal Information:: ACS Energy Letters, Journal Name: ACS Energy Letters Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 5; ISSN 2380-8195

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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