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Title: Stabilization of n-type silicon photoanodes against photoanodic decomposition with thin films of polyacetylene

Journal Article · · Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.94938· OSTI ID:6653581

Photoelectrochemical cells based on polyacetylene coated n-Si photoanodes, n-Si/(CH)/sub x/, in 11 M LiCl solutions containing I/sup -//sub 3//I/sup -/ have been investigated. The n-Si/(CH)/sub x/ photoanodes show a substantial improvement in durability compared to naked n-Si photoanodes. The efficiency of these photoelectrochemical cells appears to be limited by a low observed quantum yield for electron flow due to absorption of light by the electrolyte solution and by the (CH)/sub x/ film. Overall efficiency of 1.9% of the conversion of 632.8-nm light (21 mW/cm/sup 2/) can be sustained for >20 h without significant decline in efficiency. The n-Si/(CH)/sub x/ photoanode immersed in I/sup -//sub 3//I/sup -/ media behaves as a Schottky barrier or metal-insulator-semiconductor structure where the (CH)/sub x/ can be viewed as having a variable work function depending on the extent of doping. decomposition with thin films of polyacetylene

Research Organization:
Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
OSTI ID:
6653581
Journal Information:
Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States), Vol. 44:9
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English