Method for fabricating single-crystalline niobium oxynitride film and method for generating hydrogen using single-crystalline niobium oxynitride film

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016201218-A1
Application number	US-201615075226-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 21, 2016
Priority date	Nov 14, 2014
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for fabricating a single-crystalline niobium oxynitride film suitable for a hydrogen generation device. The present invention provides a method for fabricating a single-crystalline niobium oxynitride film formed of a niobium oxynitride represented by the chemical formula NbON; the method comprising: (a) epitaxially growing the single-crystalline niobium oxynitride film on one substrate selected from the group consisting of a yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate, a titanium oxide substrate, and a yttrium-aluminum complex oxide substrate.

First claim

1 . A method for fabricating a single-crystalline niobium oxynitride film formed of a niobium oxynitride represented by the chemical formula NbON, the method comprising:
(a) epitaxially growing the single-crystalline niobium oxynitride film on one substrate selected from the group consisting of a yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate, a titanium oxide substrate, and a yttrium-aluminum complex oxide substrate.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the one substrate is a yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate; and the yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate is oriented in a [100] direction.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the one substrate is a titanium oxide substrate; and the titanium oxide substrate is oriented in a [101] direction.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the one substrate is a yttrium-aluminum complex oxide substrate; and the yttrium-aluminum complex oxide substrate is oriented in a [001] direction.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein
a sputtering method is used in the step (a).

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein
a sputtering target formed of niobium nitride represented by the chemical formula NbN is used in the step (a); and the single-crystalline niobium oxynitride film is epitaxially grown under a mixed atmosphere of oxygen and nitrogen.

7 . A method for fabricating a semiconductor photoelectrode, the method comprising:
(a) epitaxially growing a single-crystalline niobium oxynitride film on a front surface of a titanium oxide substrate; and (b) imparting electrical conductivity to the titanium oxide substrate by doping the titanium oxide substrate with niobium from a back surface of the titanium oxide substrate to provide the semiconductor photoelectrode comprising the titanium oxide substrate and the single-crystalline niobium oxynitride film.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein
the titanium oxide substrate is oriented in a [101] direction.

9 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein
a sputtering method is used in the step (a).

10 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein
a sputtering target formed of niobium nitride represented by the chemical formula NbN is used in the step (a); and the single-crystalline niobium oxynitride film is epitaxially grown under a mixed atmosphere of oxygen and nitrogen.

11 . A method for fabricating a semiconductor photoelectrode, the method comprising:
(a) reducing a surface of a yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate having crystallinity by annealing the surface of the yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate in a vacuum to provide a conductive film on the surface of the yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate, wherein the crystallinity of the yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate is maintained at a surface of the conductive film, and (b) epitaxially growing a single-crystalline niobium oxynitride film on the conductive film to provide the semiconductor photoelectrode comprising the yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate, the conductive film, and the single-crystalline niobium oxynitride film.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein
the yttria-stabilized zirconia substrate is oriented in a [100] direction.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein
a sputtering method is used in the step (b).

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein
a sputtering target formed of niobium nitride represented by the chemical formula NbN is used in the step (b); and the single-crystalline niobium oxynitride film is epitaxially grown under a mixed atmosphere of oxygen and nitrogen.

15 . A single-crystalline niobium oxynitride film formed of a niobium oxynitride represented by the chemical formula NbON.

16 . A semiconductor photoelectrode comprising a single-crystalline niobium oxynitride formed of a niobium oxynitride represented by the chemical formula NbON.

17 . A semiconductor photoelectrode for generating hydrogen, the semiconductor photoelectrode comprising a single-crystalline niobium oxynitride formed of a niobium oxynitride represented by the chemical formula NbON.

18 . A hydrogen generation device, comprising:
a semiconductor photoelectrode comprising, on a surface thereof, a single-crystalline niobium oxynitride formed of a niobium oxynitride represented by the chemical formula NbON; a counter electrode electrically connected to the semiconductor photoelectrode; a liquid in contact with the single-crystalline niobium oxynitride and the counter electrode; and a container containing the semiconductor photoelectrode, the counter electrode, and the liquid, wherein the liquid is water or an electrolyte aqueous solution; and hydrogen is generated on a surface of the counter electrode by irradiating the single-crystalline niobium oxynitride with light.

19 . A method for generating hydrogen, comprising:
(a) preparing a hydrogen generation device, comprising: a semiconductor photoelectrode comprising a single-crystalline niobium oxynitride formed of a niobium oxynitride represented by the chemical formula NbON; a counter electrode electrically connected to the semiconductor photoelectrode; a liquid in contact with the single-crystalline niobium oxynitride and the counter electrode; and a container containing the semiconductor photoelectrode, the counter electrode, and the liquid, wherein the liquid is water or an electrolyte aqueous solution; and (b) irradiating the single-crystalline niobium oxynitride with light to generate hydrogen on a surface of the counter electrode.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kikuchi Ryosuke
• Nomura Takaiki
• Hato Kazuhito
• Tamura Satoru
• Kurabuchi Takahiro

Classifications

• C23C14/0676

  Oxynitrides · CPC title

• C30B29/16

  Oxides · CPC title

• C25B1/003

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic

• C30B29/38

  Nitrides · CPC title

• C23C14/0036

  Reactive sputtering · CPC title