Trends in the open-circuit voltage of semiconductor/liquid interfaces: Studies of n-Al sub x Ga sub 1 minus x As/CH sub 3 CN-Ferrocene sup +/0 and n-Al sub x Ga sub 1 minus x As/KOH-Se sup minus /2 minus (aq) junctions

Journal Article · Thu Feb 07 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Journal of Physical Chemistry; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/j100156a063· OSTI ID:5212454

Casagrande, L G; Tufts, B J; Lewis, N S ^[1]

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1. California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena (USA)

Trends in open-circuit voltage (V{sub oc}), short-circuit current density (J{sub sc}), and energy conversion efficiency have been determined for the n-type Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1{minus}x}As series of photoelectrodes (x = 0.0, 0.09, 0.16, 0.24, 0.31) in contact with CH{sub 3}CN-ferrocene{sup +/0} and KOH-Se{sup {minus}/2{minus}}(aq) electrolytes. V{sub oc} increased linearly with increases in bandgap energy (E{sub g}) of the n-Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1{minus}x}As alloy electrodes, with {Delta}V{sub oc}/{Delta}E{sub g} = 0.45 {plus minus} 0.04 V eV{sup {minus}1} in CH{sub 3}CN and 0.41 {plus minus} 0.09 V eV{sup {minus}1} in KOH-Se{sup {minus}/2{minus}}(aq) at a light intensity sufficient to provide J{sub sc} = 1.0 mA cm{sup {minus}2}. J{sub sc} values under solar-simulated illumination decreased monotonically with increasing bandgap energy. The relatively low value of {Delta}V{sub oc}/{Delta}E{sub g} implies decreases in optimal energy conversion efficiency as the mole fraction of Al in the Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1{minus}x}As alloy is increased. This is in contrast to the behavior of the n-GaAs{sub x}P{sub 1{minus}x} alloy series in the same electrolytes.

• OSTI ID: 5212454
• Journal Information: Journal of Physical Chemistry; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Physical Chemistry; (United States) Vol. 95:3; ISSN 0022-3654; ISSN JPCHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140505* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photochemical
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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
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ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
COMPLEXES
CONVERSION
CURRENT DENSITY
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EQUIPMENT
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GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
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HYDROCARBONS
INTERFACES
IRON COMPLEXES
MATERIALS
N-TYPE CONDUCTORS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PNICTIDES
POLYENES
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPLEXES
VOLTAMETRY