Photoelectrochemistry of copper(I) acetylide films electrodeposited onto copper electrodes

Films of copper acetylide (Cu2C2) were grown electrochemically on copper and characterized by transmittance and reflectance techniques. The photoelectrochemical properties of the filmed electrodes in alkaline solution indicate that Cu2C2 behaves as a p-type semiconducting material (1.5 eV band gap). The photocurrents depend on film thickness and aging and high resistivity or recombination losses limit the quantum yield to some 4% for thicknesses of practical importance (250 nm).