SOLAR-TO-HYDROGEN PHOTOVOLTAIC/PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL DEVICES USING AMORPHOUS SILICON CARBIDE AS THE PHOTOELECTRODE

We report the use of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) as the photoelectrode in an integrated 'hybrid' photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell to produce hydrogen directly from water using sunlight. Results on the durability of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) photoelectrodes in an electrolyte are presented. In a pH2 electrolyte, the a-SiC:H photoelectrode exhibits excellent stability for 100 hour test so far performed. A photocurrent onset shift (anodically) after a 24- or 100-hour durability test in electrolyte is observed, likely due to changes in the surface chemical structure of the a-SiC:H photoelectrode. It is also observed that a thin SiOx layer native to the air exposed surface of the a-SiC:H affects the photocurrent and the its onset shift. Finally, approaches for eliminating the external bias voltage and enhancing the solar-to-hydrogen efficiency in a PV/PEC hybrid structure to achieve {>=} 10% are presented.