Silicon nanowire array (SiNWs)-based photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells are regarded as a new and prospective candidate for optoelectronic applications due to their excellent optical absorption, large specific surface, and low-cost preparation. However, they suffer from the surface recombination of photocarriers and from photo-corrosion/photo-oxidation. In this work, the PEC response characteristics of SiNWs before and after covering with a thin carbon film were investigated. An enhancement factor of 35.87% in the PEC responsivity was observed after coating with the carbon shell. The degradations of the photocurrent with increasing illumination time and of the photocurrent versus potential with increasing measurement number were suppressed by the carbon shell. (C) 2014 The Electrochemical Society.