Transient absorption spectroscopy reveals that slow bimolecular recombination in SrTiO 3 underpins its efficient photocatalytic performance.

The charge carrier dynamics of SrTiO 3 are measured by ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy, revealing bimolecular recombination kinetics that are at least two magnitudes slower than alternative metal oxides. This slow recombination is associated with its high dielectric constant, and suggested to be central to SrTiO 3 's high performance in photocatalytic systems.