Photoelectrochemical Characterization of Semitransparent WO[sub 3] Films

Tungsten trioxide films on transparent substrates (glass and or indium-tin oxide coated glass) were prepared by various methods like doctor-blading, dip-coating, layer-by-layer painting, and spin-coating. Films of up to were grown and characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, optical reflectance and transmittance, and photoelectrochemical measurements. Well-crystallized with monoclinic structure prevails on all substrates after annealing at or above . Films grown via layer-by-layer painting and spin-coating using organic precursors consist of particulates of around . Such films are specular and highly transparent outside the bandgap. Their photoactivity extends up to and junctions with yield incident photon to current conversion efficiencies values above 0.9 at and 0.1 at . Under solar illumination, photocurrents of up to (front-side illumination) and (back-side illumination) were drawn.