Oxygen vacancy-induced ferroelectric effect in (111) strontium titanate single crystals controls photoelectrochemical water oxidation

An electric field induces a polarization in SrTiO 3− x . This enhances or diminishes photoelectrochemical water oxidation, depending on dipole orientation. According to DFT, the polarization is due to movement of O vacancies at the SrTiO 3− x surface.