Abstract
We report sequential fabrication of a three-dimensional hierarchical structure of Al2O3-passivated-CdS-anchored high quality ZnO nanowire (NW) on patterned silicon NWs (Al/CdS/Si-ZnO HNWs) realized using Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition for photoelectrochemical water splitting. Further, to improve PEC performance and photostability CdS anchoring and Al2O3 passivation were carried out. The optimally designed 60 CdS/Si-ZnO HNWs showed 25.8-fold (1.79%) enhancement in the photoconversion efficiency at 0.3 V vs Ag/AgCl compared to bare Si-ZnO HNWs (0.069%) along with 47.8-fold enhancement in the photocurrent density (1.42 mA/cm2 at 0 V vs Ag/AgCl). Further to improve the photostability (22.22 h) and reduce the photocorrosion, optimized 60 CdS/ZnO-Si HNWs were passivated using ultrathin Al2O3. Hierarchical assembly plays a key role in achieving the high photoconversion efficiency and photostability. The rationally designed hierarchical NW photoanodes synergistically improves photocurrent and photostability and may initiate facile integration of II-VI material with Si and could open the path for the next generation applications like energy harvesting as well as energy conversion devices.
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