Graded bandgap semiconductor thin film photoelectrodes

A graded bandgap oxide semiconductor thin film electrode was designed in order to obtain a photoelec-trochemically stable photoelectrode, with wide absorption range. The graded bandgap Ti_1−x V _x O₂ film electrode was prepared by heating the stacked layers of V/Ti in varying ratios, which were coated on the substrate by the sol-gel method using the starting solution with various V/Ti ratios. XPS result showed that the composition gradient was achieved for the film. The Ti_1−x V _x O₂ film electrode was found to be photoelectrochemically stable. Its photovoltage was about 360 mV. Obvious visible light photoresponse was observed for the Ti_1−x V _x O₂ film electrode. Compared with the pure TiO₂ electrode, the photocurrent onset potential of the Ti_1−x V _x O₂ film electrode was shifted positively, probably because the accumulation of vanadium at the electrode surface causes the recombination of the electrons and holes, and the lowest level of the conduction band of Ti_1−x V _x O₂ is lower than that of TiO₂. Impedance analysis showed that the donor density of the Ti_1−x V₂O₂ film electrode was higher than that of TiO₂ film electrode.