Photoelectrochemistry of tin-doped iron oxide electrodes

Ceramic semiconductor photoelectrodes made of Fe2O3 with up to 2 at.% Sn-doping were synthesized. Results of investigations of their electroconductivity are presented. The ionization energy of donor centers created by tin is determined. The capacitance–voltage characteristics of the photoelectrodes and the dynamic polarization with chopped light were investigated. The anodic photocurrent onset potential, the flat band potential and the shallow and deep donor density of these materials were determined. The spectral characteristics of manufactured photoelectrodes were measured. The threshold photon energies corresponding to the inter-band optical transitions near the edge of the fundamental absorption of the semiconductor photoelectrode were calculated. The structure of the two-phase interface was studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved