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Enhancing Charge Transport and Extraction in Ta3N5 Photoanodes Via Ti Doping and TiN Contact Layers
Laura I Wagner1,2, Dominik Moser1,2, Dennis Friedrich3
1Walter Schottky Institute, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|April 20, 2026
Summary
Titanium doping enhances tantalum nitride
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Photocatalysis
- Semiconductor Physics
Background:
- Tantalum nitride (Ta3N5) is a promising semiconductor for solar water splitting.
- Its efficiency is hampered by poor charge transport and carrier extraction.
- Defect states and grain boundaries limit performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To improve charge transport and carrier extraction in Ta3N5.
- To engineer TiN back contacts for enhanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance.
- To establish a basis for advanced nitride photoelectrodes.
Main Methods:
- Ti compensation doping of Ta3N5.
- Fabrication of TiN back contact interlayers.
- Time-resolved terahertz and microwave photoconductivity measurements.
- Photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance testing.
Main Results:
- Ti doping suppressed defect trapping and grain boundary barriers, enhancing mobility and lifetime.
- Ultrathin TiN interlayers facilitated efficient carrier extraction and acted as diffusion barriers.
- Tandem integration of Ti-doped Ta3N5 with TiN on Si significantly improved PEC performance.
Conclusions:
- Coordinated defect and interface engineering is crucial for advancing nitride photoelectrodes.
- Ti-doped Ta3N5 with TiN interlayers offers a viable pathway for efficient solar water splitting.
- This approach enables cost-effective fabrication of semi-transparent photoanodes for tandem solar cells.
