SIMPLE ELECTROCHEMICAL METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION OF A HIGHLY ORIENTED AND HIGHLY PHOTOACTIVE ALPHA-PBO FILM

Highly oriented (110 plane parallel to the substrate) and highly photo active alpha-PbO films are prepared by electrochemical anodic oxidatio n of Pb electrode in alkaline solution at 80 degrees C by polarizing a t +0.3 V versus saturated calomel electrode. Within an hour of anodiza tion, nearly 10-12 mu m thick oxide film is produced which is found to be exclusively alpha-PbO with a preferred orientation along the 110 p lane. The films show about 80% quantum efficiency and 1.55% solar to e lectrical energy conversion efficiency for white-light irradiation in a liquid junction solar cell containing 0.1 M Fe(CN)(6)(3-/4-) redox s olution. These values are the highest reported so far for-lead oxide t hin-film based solar cells. (C) 1994 American Institute of Physics.