AFM Analysis of Photcatalyzed Deposition of Silver Particles on Perovskite Surfaces

Photocatalyzed deposition of silver from a silver-nitrate solution onto well-defined perovskite surfaces was investigated using an atomic force microscope (AFM). The different materials were grown in a RF-off-axis sputter deposition chamber. Grown films have atomically flat surfaces with unit cell high step edges. Different particle accumulation structures were encountered, and the distribution of particles was analyzed. The photocatalyzed deposition of silver is a suitable proxy reaction for water splitting, and development of a technique that will allow precise determination of the catalytic ability of surfaces and specific sites on those surfaces is a priority in our group's efforts to develop new ferroelectric photocatalysts.