Surface oxidation of grown REMs-doped CuO:CdTe thin films heterostructure based photocatalyst and PECs materials for solar-driven water splitting

Abstract

In recent years, REM-doped CuO:CdTe thin film materials have been extensively investigated as catalytic materials for energy and environmental applications due to their easy manipulation, scalability, low cost, and abundance. In the present study, REM-doped CuO:CdTe thin films were successfully synthesized via chemical vapor deposition at 450°C for solar-driven hydrogen (H₂) production through water splitting. XRD pattern confirmed the phase formation of CuO:CdTe thin film. The absorption spectra of REM-doped CuO:CdTe thin films exhibited a red shift in the visible region, attributed to enhanced bandgap energies resulting from the smaller particle size. In terms of photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties, REM-doped CuO:CdTe thin films demonstrated a superior photocurrent response compared to pure CuO and CdTe thin films, likely due to improved charge transfer at the electrode-electrolyte interface. These findings suggest that REM-doped CuO:CdTe thin films possess highly efficient configurations as photocatalysts and photoelectrodes, making them promising candidates for water splitting applications.