Cathodic and anodic photocurrent enhancement at III-V semiconductor electrodes

Conference · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996

OSTI ID:370824

Gomes, W P; Theuwis, A; Vermeir, I E ^[1]

---

1. Universiteit Gent (Belgium); and others

The phenomenon of limiting photocurrent enhancement at semiconductor electrodes due to the addition of redox components to the solution is known since many years. In the present contribution, this effect has been studied on the systems GaAs/HIO{sub 3} InP/HIO{sub 3} and InP/H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. The cathodic enhancement observed at p-type electrodes for the three systems can be interpreted in the usual way, i.e. by assuming that the electroreduction of the oxidizing agent involves not only minority carrier capture but also majority carrier injection steps. In the case of GaAs/HIO{sub 3}, up to five injection steps may be involved. In contrast, anodic current-doubling at n-InP by HIO{sub 3} and by H{sub 2}O{sub 2} is attributed to the influence of the oxidizing agent upon the photoelectrochemical dissolution of the semiconductor. Reaction mechanisms for these processes are proposed on the basis of combined current-potential, IMPS and etch rate results.

• OSTI ID: 370824
• Report Number(s): CONF-960376--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
DISSOLUTION
ELECTRODES
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
INDIUM PHOSPHIDES
IODATES
OXIDIZERS
P-TYPE CONDUCTORS
PHOTOCURRENTS