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

Jie Fu, Zeyu Fan, Mamiko Nakabayashi, Huanxin Ju, Nadiia Pastukhova, Yequan Xiao, Chao Feng, Naoya Shibata, Kazunari Domen and Yanbo Li ()
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Jie Fu: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Zeyu Fan: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Mamiko Nakabayashi: The University of Tokyo
Huanxin Ju: CoreTech Integrated Limited
Nadiia Pastukhova: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Yequan Xiao: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Chao Feng: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Naoya Shibata: The University of Tokyo
Kazunari Domen: The University of Tokyo
Yanbo Li: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: 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.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28415-4

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