Development and electroanalytical investigation of a novel rectifying semiconductor/polymer interface

Polybithiophene (pbT) thin films have been electrochemically deposited on n-TiO2 prepared by electrochemical oxidation of titanium. The rectifying behaviour of this novel inorganic semiconductor/conducting polymer interface is demonstrated by cyclic voltammetry experiments, interpreted in the framework of Gerischer's theory on 'semiconductor/redox-electrolyte' interfaces treated as Schottky barriers. Moreover, experimental evidence of a photovoltaic effect is given by a photoelectrochemical investigation carried out by illuminating the pbT layer with photons of appropriate frequency.