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Abstract Photoelectrodes without a p–n junction are often limited in efficiency by charge recombination at semiconductor surfaces and slow charge transfer to electrocatalysts. This study reports that tin oxide (SnO
x ) layers applied to n‐Si wafers after forming a thin chemically oxidized SiOx layer can passivate the Si surface while producing ≈620 mV photovoltage under 100 mW cm−2of simulated sunlight. The SnOx layer makes ohmic contacts to Ni, Ir, or Pt films that act as precatalysts for the oxygen‐evolution reaction (OER) in 1.0m KOH(aq) or 1.0m H2SO4(aq). Ideal regenerative solar‐to‐O2(g) efficiencies of 4.1% and 3.7%, respectively, are obtained in 1.0m KOH(aq) with Ni or in 1.0m H2SO4(aq) with Pt/IrOx layers as OER catalysts. Stable photocurrents for >100 h are obtained for electrodes with patterned catalyst layers in both 1.0m KOH(aq) and 1.0m H2SO4(aq).
