Optimizing pulsed laser deposition of crystalline BiVO4 thin films on yttrium-stabilized zirconia (110) substrates†
Abstract
Different conditions are explored to understand their effects on the pulsed laser deposition of BiVO4 water splitting photoanodes, over YSZ (110) substrates. A two-step deposition (TSD) method can independently tune nucleation and bulk film growth, leading to the formation of a phase pure, crystalline BiVO4 film with optimized water splitting activities.