Semiconductor Electrodes: LIV . Effect of Redox Couple, Doping Level, and Metal Type on the Electrochemical and Photoelectrochemical Behavior of Silicide‐Coated n‐Type Silicon Photoelectrodes

Abstract

The surface potentials of silicide‐coated n‐type silicon photoelectrodes as functions of the potential of solution redox couples and the bias potential show that the Fermi level of these photoelectrodes is strongly pinned at the silicide/Si interface. The built‐in potential barrier is consistent with the constancy in the photovoltage observed in solutions containing various reversible couples with redox potentials spanning a range larger than the bandgap of silicon. The performance of these photoelectrodes depends strongly on the metal, the charge transfer kinetics at the silicide/solution interface, and the doping density of silicon substrate.