Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

P-N junction01:11

P-N junction

1.4K
A p-n junction is formed when p-type and n-type semiconductor materials are joined together. At the interface of the p-n junction, holes from the p-side and electrons from the n-side begin to diffuse into the opposite sides due to the concentration gradient. This diffusion of carriers leads to a region around the junction where there are no free charge carriers, known as the depletion region. The charge density within the depletion region for the n-side and p-side can be described by the...
1.4K
Biasing of Metal-Semiconductor Junctions01:27

Biasing of Metal-Semiconductor Junctions

698
Biasing metal-semiconductor junctions involves applying a voltage across the junction. Specifically, the metal is connected to a voltage source, while the semiconductor is grounded. This technique is essential for controlling the direction and magnitude of current flow in electronic devices, including diodes, transistors, and photovoltaic cells.
In Schottky junctions, where the semiconductor is n-type, applying a positive voltage to the metal relative to the semiconductor reduces its Fermi...
698
Metal-Semiconductor Junctions01:24

Metal-Semiconductor Junctions

1.2K
The contact of metal and semiconductor can lead to the formation of a junction with either Schottky or Ohmic behavior.
Schottky Barriers
Schottky barriers arise when a metal with a work function (Φm) contacts a semiconductor with a different work function (Φs). Initially, electrons transfer until the Fermi levels of the metal and semiconductor align at equilibrium. For instance, if Φm > Φs, the semiconductor Fermi level is higher than the metal's before contact. The...
1.2K
Photosystem II01:22

Photosystem II

79.2K
The multi-protein complex photosystem II (PS II) harvests photons and transfers their energy through its bound pigments to its reaction center, and ultimately to photosystem I (PSI) through the electron transport chain. The pigments responsible for caputirng the light energy in photosystems include chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids.
The pigment molecules are arranged across  two photosystem domains — the antenna complex and the reaction center. The main aim of the pigment...
79.2K
Schottky Barrier Diode01:27

Schottky Barrier Diode

1.1K
Schottky barrier diodes are specialized semiconductor devices characterized by their unique construction. This construction involves combining a metal layer with a moderately doped n-type semiconductor material. This combination leads to the formation of a Schottky barrier, a pivotal element that defines the diode's operational characteristics. The core functionality of Schottky barrier diodes is their capacity to allow current to flow in only one direction due to their distinctive...
1.1K
The Z-Scheme of Electron Transport in Photosynthesis01:34

The Z-Scheme of Electron Transport in Photosynthesis

14.2K
The light reactions of photosynthesis assume a linear flow of electrons from water to NADP+. During this process, light energy drives the splitting of water molecules to produce oxygen. However, oxidation of water molecules is a thermodynamically unfavorable reaction and requires a strong oxidizing agent. This is accomplished by the first product of light reactions: oxidized P680 (or P680+), the most powerful oxidizing agent known in biology. The oxidized P680 that acquires an electron from the...
14.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Abiotic Hydrolysis of Microplastics: Influence of Polymer Chain Scission on Particle Fragmentation and Dissolved Organic Carbon Release.

Environmental science & technology·2026
Same author

Advances and challenges in modelling the environmental fate and exposure of pharmaceuticals: a comprehensive review.

Environmental science. Processes & impacts·2025
Same author

Computational models to confront the complex pollution footprint of plastic in the environment.

Nature computational science·2024
Same author

Predicting accidental release of engineered nanomaterials to the environment.

Nature nanotechnology·2023
Same author

Key principles and operational practices for improved nanotechnology environmental exposure assessment.

Nature nanotechnology·2020
Same author

Room-temperature Operation of Low-voltage, Non-volatile, Compound-semiconductor Memory Cells.

Scientific reports·2019
Same journal

Application of ephrin-B2 loaded glycol chitosan-silk fibroin hydrogel in the treatment of diabetic refractory wounds.

Scientific reports·2026
Same journal

International expert Delphi consensus on thromboprophylaxis in metabolic and bariatric surgery.

Scientific reports·2026
Same journal

Assessing the cross-region knowledge transfer capability of selected deep learning building vectorization methods in the context of available training datasets.

Scientific reports·2026
Same journal

Feasibility and preliminary effects of outdoor versus indoor cognitive-motor therapy in women with Alzheimer's disease: A randomized single-blind pilot study.

Scientific reports·2026
Same journal

Hallmarks of social action in the vocal turn-taking of wild common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus).

Scientific reports·2026
Same journal

Role and mechanism of AOPPs-induced NOX4-mediated ferroptosis in intervertebral disc degeneration.

Scientific reports·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 22, 2026

Harvesting Solar Energy by Means of Charge-Separating Nanocrystals and Their Solids
13:29

Harvesting Solar Energy by Means of Charge-Separating Nanocrystals and Their Solids

Published on: August 23, 2012

14.7K

Photoelectrolysis Using Type-II Semiconductor Heterojunctions.

S Harrison1, M Hayne2

  • 1Department of Physics, Lancaster University, LA1 4YB, Lancaster, UK.

Scientific Reports
|September 16, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Semiconductor nanostructures can boost solar hydrogen production efficiency by creating type-II heterojunctions in photoelectrochemical cells (PECs). ZnO quantum dots on n-InGaN show promise for efficient renewable fuel generation.

More Related Videos

Developing High Performance GaP/Si Heterojunction Solar Cells
10:31

Developing High Performance GaP/Si Heterojunction Solar Cells

Published on: November 16, 2018

8.0K
Developing Photosensitizer-Cobaloxime Hybrids for Solar-Driven H2 Production in Aqueous Aerobic Conditions
10:21

Developing Photosensitizer-Cobaloxime Hybrids for Solar-Driven H2 Production in Aqueous Aerobic Conditions

Published on: October 5, 2019

9.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 22, 2026

Harvesting Solar Energy by Means of Charge-Separating Nanocrystals and Their Solids
13:29

Harvesting Solar Energy by Means of Charge-Separating Nanocrystals and Their Solids

Published on: August 23, 2012

14.7K
Developing High Performance GaP/Si Heterojunction Solar Cells
10:31

Developing High Performance GaP/Si Heterojunction Solar Cells

Published on: November 16, 2018

8.0K
Developing Photosensitizer-Cobaloxime Hybrids for Solar-Driven H2 Production in Aqueous Aerobic Conditions
10:21

Developing Photosensitizer-Cobaloxime Hybrids for Solar-Driven H2 Production in Aqueous Aerobic Conditions

Published on: October 5, 2019

9.0K

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Renewable Energy
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Solar-driven hydrogen production is crucial for a sustainable energy future.
  • Current photoelectrochemical cell (PEC) efficiencies are limited by cost-effectiveness and research progress.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To theoretically investigate semiconductor nanostructures for enhancing PEC efficiency.
  • To increase maximum photovoltage and overall solar-to-hydrogen conversion.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a self-consistent model solving Schrödinger, Poisson, and drift-diffusion equations for PEC semiconductor electrodes.
  • Investigated type-II heterojunctions at the semiconductor-water interface.

Main Results:

  • Identified ZnO quantum dots on n-InGaN (with low In content, x < 0.26) as a promising system.
  • Demonstrated electron-accepting and -donating states straddling key production potentials.
  • Acknowledged uncertainties due to material parameter variations.

Conclusions:

  • The proposed ZnO/n-InGaN system offers a pathway to improved solar hydrogen production.
  • Results provide a foundation for experimental validation and model refinement.
  • Further research is needed to address material parameter uncertainties.