Multiple band gap energy layered electrode for photoelectrochemical cells

Using wet chemistry, electrode of multiple band gap energy starting from wide titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) to narrow range cadmium selenide (CdSe) is synthesized. Complete utilization of solar spectrum by initializing the film of wide band gap energy (absorbs high energy photons) permitting to narrow band gap films (absorbs low energy photons), is explored in the manuscript. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-Vis spectrophotometer techniques were used for the structural, surface morphological and optical studies. The role of every layer of descending band gap energy on the performance of photoelectrochemical cells is demonstrated. The three layered electrode exhibits a good absorbance followed by photoresponse as compared to the bilayers. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Authors SSK and RSM would like to thank Brain Korea 21 project and National R&D project for Nano-Science and Technology, Korea for the award of POST-DOC research fellowships and SSK specially wish to thanks N.D.M.V.P. Samaj, Nashik (India) for sanction of study leave during the said experimental work. This work is partially supported by the Korean Science and Engineering Foundation (ABRL R14-2003-014-01001-0)