Enhanced visible-light coloration and its mechanism of MoO3 thin films by Au nanoparticles

A new kind of MoO3/Au film was prepared by depositing Au nanoparticles on the surface of MoO3 thin film through spin-on coating technique. After cathodic polarization, the MoO3/Au thin film was found to show enhanced visible-light coloration compared with MoO3 thin films. The formation of Schottky barrier at the MoO3/Au interface, and the visible-light coloration mechanism of the MoO3/Au film are elucidated by the energy band theory based on surface photovoltaic spectroscopy measurements.