This volume aims at bringing together the results of extensive research done during the last fifteen years on the interfacial photoelectronic properties of the inorganic layered semiconducting materials, mainly in relation to solar energy conversion. Significant contributions have been made both on the fundamental aspects of interface characteristics and on the suitability of the layered materials in photoelectrochemical (semiconductor/electrolyte junctions) and in solid state photovoltaic(Schottky and p-n junctions) cells. New insights into the physical and chemical characteristics of the contact surfaces have been gained and many new applications of these materials have been revealed. In particular, the basal plane surface of the layered materials shows low chemical reactivity and specific electronic behaviour with respect to isotropic solids. In electrochemical systems, the inert nature of these surfaces characterized by saturated chemical bonds has been recognized from studies on charge transfer reactions and catalysis. In addition, studies on the role of the d-band electronic transitions and the dynamics of the photogene rated charge carriers in the relative stability of the photoelectrodes of the transition metal dichalcogenides have deepened the understanding of the interfacial photoreactions. Transition metal layered compounds are also recognized as ideal model compounds for the studies Involving surfaces: photoreactions, adsorption phenomena and catalysis, scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy and epitaxial growth of thin films. Recently, quantum size effects have been investigated in layered semiconductor colloids.

In recent years there has been an increasing interest in syscems which enable the conversion of solar energy into electri calor chemical energy. Many types of systems have been proposed and studied experimenta11y, the fundamentals of which extend from solid state physics to photo- and electrochemistry. For most of the systems considered excitation of an electron by absorption of a photon is fo1lowed by charge separation at an interface. It follows that the different fields involved (photovo1taics, photo electrochemistry, photogalvanics, etc.) have several essential aspects in common. It was the main purpose with the NATO Advanced Study Insti tute held at Gent, Belgium, from August 25 to September 5, 1980, to bring together research workers specializing in one of these fields in order to enab1e them not only to extend their knowledge into their own field but also to promote the interdisciplinary exchange of ideas. The scope of the A.S.I. has been 1imited to systems which have not or have hardly reached the stage of prac tica1 development. As a consequence, no lectures on economica1 aspects of solar energy conversion have been included. The topics covered in this volume are the fundamentals of recombination in solar ce1ls (P. Landsberg), theoretical and experimental aspects of heterojunctions and semiconductor/metal Schottky barriers (J.J. Loferski, W.H. Bloss and W.G. Townsend), photoelectrochemica1 ce11s (H. Gerischer and A.J. Nozik), pho- v PREFACE vi ga1vanic ce11s (W.J. Albery) and fina11y, surfactant assemb1ies (M. Grätzel).

An international group of leading scientists from the field has contributed to the 12th volume in this series, covering a range of different types of solar cells and including a critical comparison of the different techniques available for manufacturing the semiconductors needed. The result is an expert insight the central questions surrounding photovoltaic materials and systems, reflecting the latest developments in this hot and timely green topic.

Solar Cells—Advances in Research and Application: 2013 Edition is a ScholarlyEditions™ book that delivers timely, authoritative, and comprehensive information about Hybrid Solar Cells. The editors have built Solar Cells—Advances in Research and Application: 2013 Edition on the vast information databases of ScholarlyNews.™ You can expect the information about Hybrid Solar Cells in this book to be deeper than what you can access anywhere else, as well as consistently reliable, authoritative, informed, and relevant. The content of Solar Cells—Advances in Research and Application: 2013 Edition has been produced by the world’s leading scientists, engineers, analysts, research institutions, and companies. All of the content is from peer-reviewed sources, and all of it is written, assembled, and edited by the editors at ScholarlyEditions™ and available exclusively from us. You now have a source you can cite with authority, confidence, and credibility. More information is available at http://www.ScholarlyEditions.com/.

This book explores the conversion for solar energy into renewable liquid fuels through electrochemical reactions. The first section of the book is devoted to the theoretical fundamentals of solar fuels production, focusing on the surface properties of semiconductor materials in contact with aqueous solutions and the reaction mechanisms. The second section describes a collection of current, relevant characterization techniques, which provide essential information of the band structure of the semiconductors and carrier dynamics at the interface semiconductor. The third, and last section comprises the most recent developments in materials and engineered structures to optimize the performance of solar-to-fuel conversion devices.

This book brings together the fundamentals and applications of ultrathin oxide layers while highlighting connections and future opportunities.

The handbook comprehensively covers the field of inorganic photochemistry from the fundamentals to the main applications. The first section of the book describes the historical development of inorganic photochemistry, along with the fundamentals related to this multidisciplinary scientific field. The main experimental techniques employed in state-of-art studies are described in detail in the second section followed by a third section including theoretical investigations in the field. In the next three sections, the photophysical and photochemical properties of coordination compounds, supramolecular systems and inorganic semiconductors are summarized by experts on these materials. Finally, the application of photoactive inorganic compounds in key sectors of our society is highlighted. The sections cover applications in bioimaging and sensing, drug delivery and cancer therapy, solar energy conversion to electricity and fuels, organic synthesis, environmental remediation and optoelectronics among others. The chapters provide a concise overview of the main achievements in the recent years and highlight the challenges for future research. This handbook offers a unique compilation for practitioners of inorganic photochemistry in both industry and academia.

Molecular systems are assemblies of molecules designed to possess special qualities and desired functionality. Such systems are important because they provide materials with novel properties, and they will be particularly useful for minimizing electronic devices. In this two volume work, the first volume, subtitled 'From Molecules to Molecular Systems', covered the fundamentals of molecular design, while volume 2 deals with the potential applications of molecular systems. Information transduction and energy conversion are the basis of any practical device, and these considerations, along with the required interconnections and interfaces, are analyzed to produce the architectural design for a molecular system. The preparation of molecular systems is also considered, including that of self-organizing molecular assemblies, ultrathin films, and ultrafine particles.

In this book, expert authors describe advanced solar photon conversion approaches that promise highly efficient photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical cells with sophisticated architectures on the one hand, and plastic photovoltaic coatings that are inexpensive enough to be disposable on the other. Their leitmotifs include light-induced exciton generation, junction architectures that lead to efficient exciton dissociation, and charge collection by percolation through mesoscale phases. Photocatalysis is closely related to photoelectrochemistry, and the fundamentals of both disciplines are covered in this volume.