Ternary Chalcogenide-Based Photoelectrochemical Cells II. The n-CdIn/sub 2/Se/sub 4//Aqueous Polysulfide System

Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2124193· OSTI ID:5494505

Tenne, R; Cahen, D; Greenstein, Y; Mirovsky, Y

CdIn/sub 2/Se/sub 4/ is a cross-substitutional analogue of CdSe with an incomplete cation lattice. The authors have carried out an investigation of the n-CdIn/sub 2/Se/sub 4//aqueous polysulfide photoelectrochemical cell. A selective photoelectrochemical etching of the semiconductor surface leads to a dramatic increase in the photocurrent of the cell (up to 15 mA X cm/sup -2/ at small reverse bias) and greatly improved output stability. The spectral response of the cell reveals a considerable sub-bandgap photocurrent for the etched electrode. This is attributed to excitation via surface states located about 0.27 eV within the bandgap. After photoetching the electrode, most of the sub-bandgap response disappears and the response to supra-bandgap excitation increases by at least an order of magnitude that shows that these surface states serve also as recombination centers or traps for the photogenerated holes. The authors have analyzed the shape of the spectral response and observed two distinct transition modes: an indirect transition at 1.55 eV and a direct one at 1.72 eV, both of which are within the acceptable range for efficient solar energy conversion. Preliminary results using thin film polycrystalline photoelectrodes of this semiconductor are presented. They show that this material tends to lend itself fairly well to preparation of such electrodes.

• Research Organization: Department of Plastics Research and Structural Chemistry, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot
• OSTI ID: 5494505
• Journal Information: J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 129:7; ISSN JESOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140505* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photochemical
Photobiological
& Thermochemical Conversion-- (1980-)
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CADMIUM SELENIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CURRENTS
DISPERSIONS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYTES
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EQUIPMENT
ETCHING
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
INDIUM SELENIDES
MIXTURES
PHOTOCURRENTS
PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
SELENIDES
SELENIUM COMPOUNDS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLUTIONS
SPECTRAL RESPONSE
STABILITY
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE FINISHING