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Related Concept Videos

Carrier Generation and Recombination01:22

Carrier Generation and Recombination

Carrier generation is the process by which electron-hole pairs (EHPs) are created within the semiconductor. In direct-bandgap semiconductors, such as gallium arsenide (GaAs), this occurs efficiently when energy absorption prompts valence electrons to leap into the conduction band, leaving behind holes.
This process is given by the generation rate G and is efficient due to the conservation of momentum between the valence band maximum and conduction band minimum.
Indirect generation involves an...
Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry01:26

Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry

The absorption of UV–visible light by conjugated systems causes the promotion of an electron from the ground state to the excited state. Consequently, photochemical electrocyclic reactions proceed via the excited-state HOMO rather than the ground-state HOMO. Since the ground- and excited-state HOMOs have different symmetries, the stereochemical outcome of electrocyclic reactions depends on the mode of activation; i.e., thermal or photochemical.
Selection Rules: Photochemical Activation

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Enhanced Electron Injection and Exciton Confinement for Pure Blue Quantum-Dot Light-Emitting Diodes by Introducing Partially Oxidized Aluminum Cathode
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Buried Interfaces in Organic Photocathodes for H2 Evolution: Fermi-Level Pinning and Recombination.

Eui Hyun Suh1, Michel De Keersmaecker1, Ratul Mitra Thakur1

  • 1School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States.

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|June 25, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Fermi-level pinning at buried contacts significantly impacts solar fuel generation in all-polymer photocathodes. Passivating indium tin oxide (ITO) supports with phosphonic acids improves performance by reducing pinning, enhancing solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency.

Keywords:
buried interfacesinterfacial engineeringorganic photocathodesrecombination mechanismsself-assembled monolayerssolar-to-hydrogen conversiontrap passivation

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Recombination Dynamics in Thin-film Photovoltaic Materials via Time-resolved Microwave Conductivity
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Recombination Dynamics in Thin-film Photovoltaic Materials via Time-resolved Microwave Conductivity

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Electrochemistry
  • Renewable Energy

Background:

  • All-polymer photocathodes are promising for solar fuel generation.
  • Fermi-level pinning at buried interfaces can hinder device performance.
  • Indium tin oxide (ITO) is a common support material with surface hydroxyls that can cause pinning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of Fermi-level pinning at buried contacts on solar fuel generation.
  • To compare the effects of work function, hydroxyl coverage, and hydrogen evolution on photocathode performance.
  • To understand how surface passivation of ITO supports affects carrier dynamics and device efficiency.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic comparison of chemically modified ITO supports with varying work functions and hydroxyl coverage.
  • Transient photovoltage decay measurements to study recombination mechanisms.
  • Light intensity-dependent measurements and cyclic voltammetry with a redox probe to analyze charge transfer.

Main Results:

  • Passivation of ITO with phosphonic acids improved photovoltages and photocathode performance, independent of work function.
  • Nonpassivated contacts showed trap-assisted recombination and higher oxidation overpotentials, while passivated contacts exhibited bimolecular recombination and more Ohmic-like behavior.
  • Passivation reduced Fermi-level pinning and improved the reversibility of hole-transfer processes.

Conclusions:

  • Surface passivation is crucial for mitigating Fermi-level pinning at buried interfaces in all-polymer photocathodes.
  • Optimizing carrier generation, recombination, and transport through interface engineering enhances solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency.
  • Understanding buried interface characteristics is key to developing durable and efficient organic photoelectrodes.