Schottky or Ohmic metal-semiconductor contact: influence on photocatalytic efficiency of Ag/ZnO and Pt/ZnO model systems.
The relationship between the contact type in metal-semiconductor junctions and their photocatalytic efficiencies is investigated. Two metal-semiconductor junctions, silver on zinc oxide (Ag/ZnO) and platinum on zinc oxide (Pt/ZnO) serve as model system for Ohmic and Schottky metal-semiconductor contact, respectively. Ag/ZnO, with Ohmic contact, exhibits a higher photocatalytic efficiency than Pt/ZnO, with Schottky contact. The direction of electric fields within the semiconductor is found to play a crucial role in the separation of photogenerated charges, and thus strongly influences the photocatalytic efficiency.
Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials Chemistry and Physics, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350002 (PR China).
Fengpo
F
Yan
Yonghao
Y
Wang
Jiye
J
Zhang
Zhang
Z
Lin
Jinsheng
J
Zheng
Feng
F
Huang
D002384:Catalysis; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000528:radiation effects; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D010782:Photolysis; D010984:Platinum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000528:radiation effects; D012666:Semiconductors; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects
D004396:Coloring Agents; D012235:Rhodamines; D012834:Silver; D010984:Platinum; C029773:rhodamine B; D015034:Zinc Oxide
Ohmic contact; Schottky contact; heterojunctions; photocatalysis; semiconductors