Interfacial electron transfer as a significant step in photoelectrochemical reactions on some semiconductors

Abstract

Photoelectrochemical kinetics at the semiconductor-solution interface has been considered in all treatments in the literature, except one, to be rate controlled by processes inside the semiconductor. Evidence is presented which suggest that, at least for cathodic reactions on p-CdTe, the rate determining step is interfacial electron transfer, and a part of the total potential difference at the interface exists in the Helmholtz layer.