Enhanced Broadband Light Harvesting in Ultrathin Absorbers Enabled by Epitaxial Stabilization of Silver Thin Film Mirrors

(hematite) thin films onto stabilized silver reflectors by pulsed laser deposition. The photoanode displays enhanced broadband light absorption due to strong interference effects enabled by the highly reflective silver film and demonstrates stable operation in a photoelectrochemical cell under conditions of water photo-oxidation in alkaline electrolyte.