초록
A novel method of fabricating polythiophene-gold nanoparticle composite film electrodes for photoelectric conversion is demonstrated. The method includes electrodeposition of gold and electropolymerization of 2,2'-bithiophene onto an indium-tin-oxide (ITO) electrode. First, electrodeposition of gold onto the ITO electrode was carried out with various repetition times of pulsed applied potential (0.25 s at -2.0 V vs. Ag/AgCl) in an aqueous solution of $HAuCl_4$. Significant progress of the number density of deposited gold nanoparticles was confirmed from scanning electron micrographs, from 4 (1 time) to 25% (15 times). Next, electropolymerization of 2,2'-bithiophene onto the above ITO electrode was performed under controlled charge condition (+1.4 V vs. Ag wire, 15 $mC/cm^2$). Structural characterization of as-fabricated films were carried out by spectroscopic and electron micrographic methods. Photocurrent responses from the sample film electrodes were investigated in the presence of electron acceptors (methyl viologen and oxygen). Photocurrent intensities increased with increasing the density of deposited gold nanoparticles up to ~10%, and tended to decrease above it. It suggests that the surplus gold nanoparticles exhibit quenching effects rather than enhancement effects based on localized electric fields induced by surface plasmon resonance of the deposited gold nanoparticles.