Slow Photons for Photocatalysis and Photovoltaics.
Solar light is widely recognized as one of the most valuable renewable energy sources for the future. However, the development of solar-energy technologies is severely hindered by poor energy-conversion efficiencies due to low optical-absorption coefficients and low quantum-conversion yield of current-generation materials. Huge efforts have been devoted to investigating new strategies to improve the utilization of solar energy. Different chemical and physical strategies have been used to extend the spectral range or increase the conversion efficiency of materials, leading to very promising results. However, these methods have now begun to reach their limits. What is therefore the next big concept that could efficiently be used to enhance light harvesting? Despite its discovery many years ago, with the potential for becoming a powerful tool for enhanced light harvesting, the slow-photon effect, a manifestation of light-propagation control due to photonic structures, has largely been overlooked. This review presents theoretical as well as experimental progress on this effect, revealing that the photoreactivity of materials can be dramatically enhanced by exploiting slow photons. It is predicted that successful implementation of this strategy may open a very promising avenue for a broad spectrum of light-energy-conversion technologies.
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, 430070, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Jing
J
Liu
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, 430070, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Heng
H
Zhao
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, 430070, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Min
M
Wu
Laboratory of Inorganic Materials Chemistry (CMI), University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, B-5000, Namur, Belgium.
Benoit
B
Van der Schueren
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, 430070, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Yu
Y
Li
Solid State Physics Laboratory, University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, B-5000, Namur, Belgium.
Olivier
O
Deparis
Research Unit for Environmental Remediation Materials, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0047, Japan.
Jinhua
J
Ye
University of Toronto, Lash Miller Building Room 326 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S3H6, Canada.
Geoffrey A
GA
Ozin
Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0FA, UK.
Tawfique
T
Hasan
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, 430070, Wuhan, Hubei, China.|Clare Hall, University of Cambridge, Herschel Road, Cambridge, CB3 9AL, UK.|Laboratory of Inorganic Materials Chemistry (CMI), University of Namur, 61 rue de Bruxelles, B-5000, Namur, Belgium.
Bao-Lian
BL
Su
photocatalysis; photonic crystals; photovoltaics; slow photons