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

Here a novel ultrathin lutetium oxide (Lu2O3) interlayer is integrated with crystalline bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) thin film photoanodes to facilitate carrier transport through atomic‐scale interface control. The epitaxial Lu2O3 interlayer fabricated by pulsed laser deposition features very few struct...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Advanced functional materials 2018-03, Vol.28 (10), p.n/a
Main Authors: Zhang, Wenrui, Yan, Danhua, Tong, Xiao, Liu, Mingzhao
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Atomic force microscopy
Bismuth oxides
bismuth vanadate
Carrier transport
Charge efficiency
Crystal defects
Crystal structure
Crystallinity
Design engineering
epitaxy
Grain boundaries
Heterojunctions
hole blocking
interface engineering
Interlayers
Lutetium
Lutetium oxide
MATERIALS SCIENCE
Oxide coatings
Photoanodes
Photoelectric effect
Photoelectric emission
Pulsed laser deposition
solar water splitting
Vanadates
Water splitting
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Summary:Here a novel ultrathin lutetium oxide (Lu2O3) interlayer is integrated with crystalline bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) thin film photoanodes to facilitate carrier transport through atomic‐scale interface control. The epitaxial Lu2O3 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 Lu2O3 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. A novel epitaxial lutetium oxide interlayer, at a mere thickness of 1.4 nm, is developed as an effective hole‐blocking layer to facilitate carrier transport and enhance solar water splitting efficiencies in bismuth vanadate photoanodes. This finding broadens current material selection to design hybrid heterostructures or nanostructures for efficient renewable energy production.
ISSN:1616-301X
1616-3028
DOI:10.1002/adfm.201705512