CHAPTER 16: New Perspectives and a Review of Progress

This chapter examines a number of ideas and concepts that may have an impact on the development of light-driven water splitting systems but which at the moment are at a very early stage of development. The potential for application of advanced optical concepts such as surface plasmons and Förster energy transfer is reviewed, before moving on to look at some aspects of electrode structuring. Some of the special features of the electronic structure of d-metal oxides such as hematite and titania are then examined in relation to their poor carrier transport properties. The chapter concludes with an overview of progress and an evaluation of prospects for the future.