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Band-structure tunability via the modulation of excitons in semiconductor nanostructures: manifestation in photocatalytic fuel generation

IR@CGCRI: CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute, Kolkata

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Title Band-structure tunability via the modulation of excitons in semiconductor nanostructures: manifestation in photocatalytic fuel generation
 
Creator Ghosh, Srabanti
Sarkar, Dipendu
Bastia, Sweta
Chaudhary, Yatendra S
 
Subject Electronics
 
Description Understanding the energetics of electron transfer at the semiconductor interface is crucial for the development of solar harvesting technologies, including photovoltaics, photocatalysis, and solar fuel systems. However, modern artificial photosynthetic materials are not efficient and limited by their fast charge recombination with high binding energy of excitons. Hence, reducing the exciton binding energy can increase the generation of charge carriers, which improve the photocatalytic activities. Extensive research has been dedicated to improving the exciton dissociation efficiency through rational semiconductor design via heteroatom doping, vacancy engineering, the construction of heterostructures, and donor-pi-acceptor (D-pi-A) interfaces to extend the charge carrier migration, promoting the dissociation of excitons. Consequently, functionalized photocatalysts have demonstrated remarkable photocatalytic performances for solar fuel production under visible light irradiation. This review provides the fundamental aspects of excitons in semiconductor nanostructures, having a high binding energy and ultrafast exciton formation together with promising photo-redox properties for solar to fuel conversion application. In particular, this review highlights the significant role of the excitonic effect in the photocatalytic activity of newly developed functional materials and the underlying mechanistic insight for tuning the performance of nanostructured semiconductor photocatalysts for water splitting, CO2 reduction, and N-2 fixation reactions.
 
Publisher Royal Soc Chemistry
 
Date 2023-07
 
Type Article
PeerReviewed
 
Identifier Ghosh, Srabanti and Sarkar, Dipendu and Bastia, Sweta and Chaudhary, Yatendra S (2023) Band-structure tunability via the modulation of excitons in semiconductor nanostructures: manifestation in photocatalytic fuel generation. Nanoscale, 15 (26). pp. 10939-10974. ISSN 2040-3364
 
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