Resumen de Photoelectrochemical studies of Cu~2O photoelectrode coated with Au and SiO thin films

K.A. Khan, Y. K. Leung, J. F. Kos

• An attempt has been made to stabilize the photocurrent in a photoelectrochemical cell by depositing thin Au and SiO films onto the Cu2O photoelectrode. In case of Au deposition, the photocurrent was either quenched or reduced. This may be the cause of insufficient formation of surface states in the electrode-electrolyte interfaces. In a Sio deposited photoelectrode, its effect was to decrease the quantum efficiency of a fresh sample, however, this deposition does not affect the value obtained for the band gap at 2.11 eV for an uncoated sample. It may be interpreted that the observed deterioration is not due strictly to surface effects or chemical reaction at the surface.