Electric field modulation of photoluminescence in cadmium selenide liquid junction solar cells

We have utilized photoluminescence, modulated by small periodic changes of electrode potential, to study the potential distribution at the surface of single crystal cadmium selenide in contact with an electrolyte. We have shown that at reverse bias and at electrode potentials, not far from the flat-band potential, the modulated photoluminescence is described by the ‘‘dead layer’’ theory, in which the electric field in the space-charge layer quenches completely the photoluminescence in that region. The electrical characterization of the interface, based on modulated photoluminescence, agrees well with more conventional impedance measurements.