The photoelectrochemical cells based on semiconductor-liquid junctions have attracted much attention because of their potential application

such as solar energy converters. In the cell system

it is important to produce the high efficiency photoelectrodes that are stable in aqueous solution and that absorb a significant portion of the solar spectrum effectively. Much effort has been done to find new materials and new electrode structures in order to produce efficient photoelectrodes. Along with its abundance and low cost

α-Fe

2

O

3

has narrow band gap

strong absorptivity in the visible range and good stability in aqueous solution. So it has been of considerable interest in its use as a photocatalyst and a photoelectode. However

the photocurrent quantum efficiency of α-Fe

2

O

3

is too low to limit its further application in converting solar energy. In general

recombination of electrons and holes cased by low mobilities of holes and trapping of electrons by oxygen-deficient iron sites are considered to be responsible for the low conductivities and poor photocurrent efficiencies of iron oxide photoelectrode.To suppress the recombination of electrons and holes thus to improve the photocurrent quantum efficiency

the semiconductor films of SrTiO

3

α-Fe

2

O

3

and their heterojunction SrTiO

3

/α-Fe

2

O

3

were prepared on FTO (SnO

2

:F on glass) substrates by the spin-coating method. The XRD pattern

SEM and transmission spectra of SrTiO

3

/α-Fe

2

O

3

film photoanode were characterized in our experiments. The anodic photocurrent-potential characteristics and the action spectra were studied in a three-electrode cell employing the film electrode as the working electrode with the electrolyte Na

2

SO4(0.2 mol/L

pH≈7.5). It was found that under 0.3 V bias voltage

the photocurrent and the incident photon to current conversion efficiency (IPCE) of the SrTiO

3

/α-Fe

2

O

3

film was higher than that of SrTiO

3

or α-Fe

2

O

3

films alone

which is consonant with our theoretical calculation conclusions by using the standard CASTEP package.