Size effects of gold nanaoparticles on plasmon-induced photocurrents of gold–TiO 2 nanocomposites

An ITO electrode was coated with a nanoporous TiO2 film, and the film was loaded with Au nanoparticles with different diameters (15, 40 and 100 nm). The electrode exhibited plasmon-induced photocurrents in the presence of Fe(2+/3+) couple under visible light (lambda > 420 nm). The quantum efficiency increased with increasing particle size, whereas the maximum photocurrent density decreased.