Tellurium Nanosphere/Hematite Hybrid Thin Films with Enhanced Light Absorption for Efficient Photocatalysis

Abstract

As a semimetal, tellurium (Te) shows metallic and dielectric properties in the UV and visible ranges, respectively, and has potential as a broad-band light absorber. In this paper, plasmonic–semiconductor hybrid nanoscale films consisting of Fe2O3 thin films and Te nanospheres are designed and demonstrated. Te clusters are proved to have an enhancement of the electric near-field in a broad UV–vis–NIR spectrum, which facilitates light absorption and charge separation in photoelectrocatalysis. The thickness of Fe2O3 films is adjusted from 22 to 137 nm. The photocurrent density enhancement factor of Te-modified films is 13 times higher than that of 22 nm Fe2O3 films. Particularly, a Te-decorated Fe2O3 ultrathin film exhibits photoelectrochemical activity comparable to that of bulk Fe2O3, suggesting significant near-field enhancement from plasmon modes of the Te clusters. It is found that the Te cluster decoration led to a significant decrease of the charge transfer resistance, demonstrating that the Te clusters could boost the formation rate and suppress the recombination rate of electron–hole pairs. The hybridization of Te nanoparticles with nanoscale semiconductor films represents an efficient way to enhance the solar energy conversion efficiency.