Interface engineering of Ta3N5 thin film photoanode for highly efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting

Abstract

Interface engineering is a proven strategy to improve the efficiency of thin film semiconductor based solar energy conversion devices. Ta₃N₅ thin film photoanode is a promising candidate for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. Yet, a concerted effort to engineer both the bottom and top interfaces of Ta₃N₅ thin film photoanode is still lacking. Here, we employ n-type In:GaN and p-type Mg:GaN to modify the bottom and top interfaces of Ta₃N₅ thin film photoanode, respectively. The obtained In:GaN/Ta₃N₅/Mg:GaN heterojunction photoanode shows enhanced bulk carrier separation capability and better injection efficiency at photoanode/electrolyte interface, which lead to a record-high applied bias photon-to-current efficiency of 3.46% for Ta₃N₅-based photoanode. Furthermore, the roles of the In:GaN and Mg:GaN layers are distinguished through mechanistic studies. While the In:GaN layer contributes mainly to the enhanced bulk charge separation efficiency, the Mg:GaN layer improves the surface charge inject efficiency. This work demonstrates the crucial role of proper interface engineering for thin film-based photoanode in achieving efficient PEC water splitting.

Solar-to-fuel energy conversion requires well-designed materials properties to ensure favorable charge carrier movement. Here, authors employ interface engineering of Ta₃N₅ thin film to enhance bulk carrier separation and interface carrier injection to improve the water-splitting efficiency.