Semiconductor electrode, device comprising the same, and a method for fabricating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10411144-B2
Application number	US-201815979931-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2018
Priority date	Jun 7, 2017
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

A semiconductor electrode according to the present disclosure includes a conductive substrate; a semiconductor layer which is provided on the conductive substrate, and absorbs visible light; and a protection layer with which the semiconductor layer is coated, in which the protection layer is formed of an oxynitride, the visible light travels through the protection layer, and the protection layer has a thinner thickness than the semiconductor layer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A semiconductor electrode, comprising:
a conductive substrate;
a semiconductor layer which is provided on the conductive substrate and is capable of absorbing visible light; and
a protection layer with which the semiconductor layer is coated,
wherein
the protection layer is formed of an oxynitride;
the visible light is capable of traveling through the protection layer; and
the protection layer has a thinner thickness than the semiconductor layer.

2. The semiconductor electrode according to claim 1 , wherein
the oxynitride forming the protection layer is an oxynitride of one selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silicon, and zirconium.

3. The semiconductor electrode according to claim 2 , wherein
the oxynitride forming the protection layer is an aluminum oxynitride.

4. The semiconductor electrode according to claim 1 , wherein
the semiconductor layer is formed of one selected from the group consisting of a nitride semiconductor and an oxynitride semiconductor.

5. The semiconductor electrode according to claim 4 , wherein
the semiconductor layer is formed of a nitride semiconductor; and
the nitride semiconductor is a nitride semiconductor of a transition metal selected from the group consisting of vanadium, niobium and tantalum.

6. The semiconductor electrode according to claim 5 , wherein
the nitride semiconductor is a niobium nitride semiconductor.

7. The semiconductor electrode according to claim 4 , wherein
the semiconductor layer is formed of an oxynitride semiconductor; and
the oxynitride semiconductor is an oxynitride semiconductor of a transition metal selected from the group consisting of vanadium, niobium and tantalum.

8. The semiconductor electrode according to claim 7 , wherein
the nitride semiconductor is a niobium oxynitride semiconductor.

9. A gas generation device, comprising:
a semiconductor electrode comprising:
a conductive substrate;
a semiconductor layer which is provided on the conductive substrate and is capable of absorbing visible light; and
a protection layer with which the semiconductor layer is coated, wherein
the protection layer is formed of an oxynitride;
the visible light is capable of traveling through the protection layer; and
the protection layer has a thinner thickness than the semiconductor layer;

a counter electrode connected electrically with the conductive substrate;
an electrolyte aqueous solution in contact with the semiconductor electrode and the counter electrode; and
a container in which the semiconductor electrode, the counter electrode, and the electrolyte aqueous solution are contained.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Murase Hideaki
• Kikuchi Ryosuke

Classifications

• C01B3/042

  Decomposition of water (by electrolysis of water C25B1/04) · CPC title

• C25B1/04 Primary

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• C25B11/02

  characterised by shape or form · CPC title

• C01B3/02

  Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen · CPC title

• H01L31/02167

  Electricity · mapped topic