Application of Atomic Layer Deposition in Dye-Sensitized Photoelectrosynthesis Cells

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been extensively used in the modification of semiconductor surfaces for scientific and industrial applications. It employs labile organometallic precursors that add to the surface layers of solids in a vacuum that are subsequently activated by surface hydrolysis. In recent applications, it has been used in the preparation of electrodes for molecularly based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cells (DSPECs) for solar energy conversion. This review focuses on applications of ALD in DSPECs for the preparation of solar fuels based on modified semiconductor surfaces. In this area, ALD has been used to prepare core/shell structures that modify surface-interfacial electron transfer, to prepare structures that stabilize surface-bound chromophores and catalysts, and for the preparation of overlayer structures that stabilize electrodes for water oxidation and photocathodes for H₂ or CO₂ reduction.