Resonantly excited photocatalysts and light absorbers for solar fuels

Abstract

Excited electronic states in semiconductors and metals have the potential to alter the rate and selectivity of mol. redn. and oxidn. reactions in photocatalysis. Doing so requires an accurate description and understanding of resonant optical absorption, excited carrier generation, relaxation and interfacial charge transfer processes, so as to understand the prospects for directing catalytic processes with optically generated excited carriers. Advances in theory and simulation of excited state carrier generation and transport processes will be discussed, as well as new exptl. developments in optical design of resonant photocatalysts and photoelectrodes fuel solar fuel generators.