The aim of this project is to understand and control photo-electrochemical reaction processes occurring in atomically thin, 2D semiconductor heterostructures with engineered and tunable active reaction sites. Tunability will be achieved by electric field modulation of electronic levels, excited state populations, and electronic carrier types (i.e. electrons, excitons, trions) using novel gated photo-electrical devices. Precisely engineered 2D semiconductor heterostructures will form the active regions of solid state field effect transistors that are monolithically integrated into photoelectrochemcial cells and configured as electric field tunable working electrodes.
These approaches merge the complementary expertise of team members in the growth and nanofabrication of 2D-semiconductors, time domain coherent optical spectroscopy with femtosecond temporal resolution, and photoelectrochemical energy conversion. The simultaneous coupling of optical, electrical, and chemical inputs and outputs to engineered functional nanoscale systems will open up new pathways to understand and enhance photocatalytic reactions in ways not possible with traditional photoelectrodes.