Interface Engineering for High-Performance Photoelectrochemical Cells via Atomic Layer Deposition Technique

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is renowned as artificial photosynthesis. It is considered as a promising candidate for sustainable solar energy conversion and chemical production. For decades, great efforts have been made to develop PEC cells with low costs, high conversion efficiencies, and high stabilities. Surface and interface engineering has been proven to be of two key parameters to the performance of PEC cells, especially for hybrid structures. Among the many interface engineering preparation technologies, atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology has occupied the research hotspots of these decades due to its unique advantages. Its self-limiting reaction mechanism, perfect conformality, and atomic-level control of thickness and composition bring many new possibilities to surface and interface engineering of PEC cells. Herein, the interface engineering of PEC water splitting by ALD is mainly introduced. The comprehensive performance of PEC cells' interface engineering, including electrode surface protection based on ALD technology, semiconductor surface passivation, heterojunction interface band alignment engineering, catalyst/semiconductor interface modification, etc. is introduced. At the same time, the future development trends and challenges of PEC cell interface engineering based on ALD technology are also discussed.