Semiconductor Optical Electrode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022008906-A1
Application number	US-201917292682-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 20, 2019
Priority date	Dec 4, 2018
Publication date	Jan 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a semiconductor photoelectrode which maintains a light energy conversion efficiency for a long time. In the semiconductor photoelectrode, using a conductive substrate including a III-V group compound semiconductor, a semiconductor thin film including a III-V group compound semiconductor having a photocatalytic function is disposed on the substrate, and an oxygen generation co-catalyst layer having an oxygen generation co-catalytic function for the semiconductor thin film is disposed on the semiconductor thin film. Between the semiconductor thin film and the oxygen generation co-catalyst layer, a semiconductor thin film including a III-V group compound semiconductor having a lattice constant smaller than that of the semiconductor thin film in a plane perpendicular to a crystal growth direction is disposed.

First claim

1 . A semiconductor photoelectrode comprising:
a conductive substrate comprising a III-V group compound semiconductor; a first semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate and comprising a III-V group compound semiconductor having a photocatalytic function; and; an oxygen generation co-catalyst layer disposed on the first semiconductor layer and having an oxygen generation co-catalytic function for the first semiconductor layer.

2 . The semiconductor photoelectrode according to claim 1 , further comprising a second semiconductor layer which is disposed between the first semiconductor layer and the oxygen generation co-catalyst layer and includes a III-V group compound semiconductor having a lattice constant smaller than a lattice constant of the first semiconductor layer in a plane perpendicular to a crystal growth direction.

3 . The semiconductor photoelectrode according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate and the first semiconductor layer are n-type semiconductors.

4 . The semiconductor photoelectrode according to claim 2 , wherein the substrate and the first semiconductor layer are n-type semiconductors.

Assignees

• Nippon Telegraph & Telephone

Inventors

• Uzumaki Yuya
• Sato Sayumi
• Ono Yoko
• Komatsu Takeshi

Classifications

• C25B5/00

  Electrogenerative processes, i.e. processes for producing compounds in which electricity is generated simultaneously · CPC title

• C25B1/55 Primary

  Photoelectrolysis · CPC title

• C25B9/50

  Cells or assemblies of cells comprising photoelectrodes; Assemblies of constructional parts thereof · CPC title

• C25B11/053

  characterised by multilayer electrocatalytic coatings · CPC title

• C25B9/19

  with diaphragms · CPC title