4. Conclusions
Facile fabrication of low-cost semiconductor thin-film electrodes
and synthesis of new earth-abundant solar energy materials,
are the demand of current photon-based technologies, including
solar cells and photo-chemical or photo-electrochemical reactors.
Concerning this objective, through a simple as well as versatile
electrochemical route, a composite Cu/Zn/Sn oxide semiconductor
photoelectrode was for the first time fabricated. The approach was
on the base of simultaneous electro-deposition of precursor atoms
on a conductive transparent substrate. The p-type semiconductor
electrode fabricated here was also scrutinized from photoelectrochemical
standpoint in a sulfide/polysulfide redox solution, which
is conventionally applied as the electrolyte of quantum dot solar
cells (QDSCs). A complicated photoelectrochemical response was
witnessed for this photoelectrode. By irradiation of photons, besides
facilitating the interfacial charge transfer phenomenon, it was
concluded that some solid state electrochemical reactions are
likely to take place within the composite semiconductor film,
particularly for the case of Ag-deposited nanocomposite material.