Abstract

The "Hybrid Photoelectrode", a multi-junction thin film device for producing hydrogen through solar-powered water-splitting, is presented. In this monolithically stacked device configuration, an outer semiconductor-electrolyte junction acts in conjunction with underlying photovoltaic solid state-junctions to generate sufficient photovoltage and photocurrent for unassisted water photoelectrolysis. An initial prototype device, consisting of an amorphous-silicon-based photovoltaic tandem junction coated with a reactively sputtered tungsten trioxide film, exhibited stable solar-to-hydrogen (STH) conversion in acidic media at 0.6% efficiency. An efficiency of 2.2% STH is projected for a device based on recently developed tungsten trioxide films and existing thin-film-silicon tandem devices. The potential for further efficiency increase by materials and device optimizations is discussed.

Keywords

Tungsten trioxideMaterials sciencePhotoelectrolysisPhotocurrentOptoelectronicsTandemPhotovoltaic systemSemiconductorEnergy conversion efficiencySiliconAmorphous siliconThin filmElectrolyteNanotechnologyCrystalline siliconTungstenElectrical engineeringElectrolysisElectrodeComposite materialChemistry

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Publication Info

Year
2005
Type
article
Volume
8
Issue
5
Pages
A247-A249
Citations
97
Access
Closed

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Cite This

Eric L. Miller, B. Marsen, D. Paluselli et al. (2005). Optimization of Hybrid Photoelectrodes for Solar Water-Splitting. Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters , 8 (5) , A247-A249. https://doi.org/10.1149/1.1887196

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DOI
10.1149/1.1887196