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Title: Ultrathin Lutetium Oxide Film as an Epitaxial Hole-Blocking Layer for Crystalline Bismuth Vanadate Water Splitting Photoanodes

Abstract

Abstract Here a novel ultrathin lutetium oxide (Lu 2 O 3 ) interlayer is integrated with crystalline bismuth vanadate (BiVO 4 ) thin film photoanodes to facilitate carrier transport through atomic‐scale interface control. The epitaxial Lu 2 O 3 interlayer fabricated by pulsed laser deposition features very few structural defects at the back contact of the heterojunction, and forms a unique band alignment that favors photohole blocking. An optimized interlayer thickness of 1.4 nm significantly enhances charge separation efficiency and photocurrent. Combined with photoelectrochemical characterization, solid‐state electronic, and localized conductive atomic force microscopy measurements, it is revealed that the Lu 2 O 3 interlayer modulates the electronic conduction pathways along structural grain boundaries and determines the overall device performance. This study sheds light on the nature of interface‐engineered carrier transport for efficient photoelectrode heterostructure design.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
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  1. Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
OSTI Identifier:
1425068
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1416395
Report Number(s):
BNL-203208-2018-JAAM
Journal ID: ISSN 1616-301X; TRN: US1802028
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0012704
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Advanced Functional Materials
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 28; Journal Issue: 10; Journal ID: ISSN 1616-301X
Publisher:
Wiley
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Citation Formats

Zhang, Wenrui, Yan, Danhua, Tong, Xiao, and Liu, Mingzhao. Ultrathin Lutetium Oxide Film as an Epitaxial Hole-Blocking Layer for Crystalline Bismuth Vanadate Water Splitting Photoanodes. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1002/adfm.201705512.
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Zhang, Wenrui, Yan, Danhua, Tong, Xiao, & Liu, Mingzhao. Ultrathin Lutetium Oxide Film as an Epitaxial Hole-Blocking Layer for Crystalline Bismuth Vanadate Water Splitting Photoanodes. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201705512
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Zhang, Wenrui, Yan, Danhua, Tong, Xiao, and Liu, Mingzhao. Mon . "Ultrathin Lutetium Oxide Film as an Epitaxial Hole-Blocking Layer for Crystalline Bismuth Vanadate Water Splitting Photoanodes". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201705512. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1425068.
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@article{osti_1425068,
title = {Ultrathin Lutetium Oxide Film as an Epitaxial Hole-Blocking Layer for Crystalline Bismuth Vanadate Water Splitting Photoanodes},
author = {Zhang, Wenrui and Yan, Danhua and Tong, Xiao and Liu, Mingzhao},
abstractNote = {Abstract Here a novel ultrathin lutetium oxide (Lu 2 O 3 ) interlayer is integrated with crystalline bismuth vanadate (BiVO 4 ) thin film photoanodes to facilitate carrier transport through atomic‐scale interface control. The epitaxial Lu 2 O 3 interlayer fabricated by pulsed laser deposition features very few structural defects at the back contact of the heterojunction, and forms a unique band alignment that favors photohole blocking. An optimized interlayer thickness of 1.4 nm significantly enhances charge separation efficiency and photocurrent. Combined with photoelectrochemical characterization, solid‐state electronic, and localized conductive atomic force microscopy measurements, it is revealed that the Lu 2 O 3 interlayer modulates the electronic conduction pathways along structural grain boundaries and determines the overall device performance. This study sheds light on the nature of interface‐engineered carrier transport for efficient photoelectrode heterostructure design.},
doi = {10.1002/adfm.201705512},
journal = {Advanced Functional Materials},
number = 10,
volume = 28,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 08 00:00:00 EST 2018},
month = {Mon Jan 08 00:00:00 EST 2018}
}
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Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201705512
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Cited by: 36 works
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Figures / Tables:

Scheme 1 Scheme 1: (a) Schematic device structure and (b) lattice model representing the epitaxial relationship of BVO/LO/ITO/YSZ heterostructures for solar water splitting. The lattice mismatch (ε) between the top and bottom underlayer is calculated by ε = (atop - abot) × 2/(atop + abot), where atop and abot are the latticemore » constant for the top and bottom layers, respectively. aITO and aLO are divided by a factor of 2 for the lattice mismatch calculation assuming a 2:1 matching relationship with the BVO layer.« less
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    Works referencing / citing this record:

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