Capturing local structure modulations of photoexcited BiVO₄ by ultrafast transient XAFS

Abstract

Ultrafast excitation of photocatalytically active BiVO₄ was characterized by femto- and picosecond transient X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. An initial photoexcited state (≪500 fs) changed to a metastable state accompanied by a structural change with a time constant of ∼14 ps. The structural change might stabilize holes on oxygen atoms since the interaction between Bi and O increases.