Iron Oxychalcogenides and Their Photocurrent Responses

We report here the results of an experimental investigation of the electronic properties and photocurrent responses of the CaFeOQ and La₂O₂Fe₂OQ₂ phases and a computational study of the electronic structure of polar CaFeOSe. We find that both CaFeOQ (Q = S and Se) have band gaps and conduction band edge positions compatible with light-driven photocatalytic water splitting, although the oxysulfide suffers from degradation due to the oxidation of Fe²⁺ sites. The higher O/Q ratio in the Fe²⁺ coordination environment in CaFeOSe increases its stability without increasing the band gap beyond the visible range. The photocurrent CaFeOSe shows fast electron-hole separation, consistent with calculated carrier effective masses. These results suggest that these iron oxychalcogenides warrant further study to optimize their stability and morphology for photocatalytic and other photoactive applications.