The Electronic Role of the TiO2 Light-Scattering Layer in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Zhipan Zhang; Seigo Ito; Brian O'Regan; Daibin Kuang; Shaik Mohammed Zakeeruddin; Paul Liska; Raphaël Charvet; Pascal Comte; Mohammad Khaja Nazeeruddin; Peter Péchy; Robin Humphry-Baker; Tsuguo Koyanagi; Takaki Mizuno; Michael Grätzel

doi:10.1524/zpch.2007.221.3.319

Published by De Gruyter (O) September 25, 2009

The Electronic Role of the TiO₂ Light-Scattering Layer in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Zhipan Zhang , Seigo Ito , Brian O'Regan , Daibin Kuang , Shaik Mohammed Zakeeruddin , Paul Liska , Raphaël Charvet , Pascal Comte , Mohammad Khaja Nazeeruddin , Peter Péchy , Robin Humphry-Baker , Tsuguo Koyanagi , Takaki Mizuno and Michael Grätzel

From the journal Zeitschrift für Physikalische Chemie

https://doi.org/10.1524/zpch.2007.221.3.319

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Dye-sensitized solar cells have been fabricated with different kinds of TiO₂ films including SiO₂ coated and bare TiO₂ microparticles as light-scattering layer (LSL). Results show that the LSL barely affects the cell's dark current, whereas under illumination, it made a significant contribution to the total photocurrent. Photo-voltage decay measurements performed under bias illumination show the density of electronic states (DOS) of the LSL to be two times smaller than that of a transparent nanoparticle layer (TNL). Strikingly, DSCs fabricated from a 4.5μm thick LSL alone showed a conversion efficiency of 5% despite of being pale pink in color. This impressive performance is attributed to light containment in the LSL and a low density of defect electronic states.

Keywords: Solar-Energy Conversion; Dye Sensitizer Solar Cells; Light Containment; Scattering Layer

Received: 2006-6-2

Accepted: 2006-9-16

Published Online: 2009-9-25

Published in Print: 2007-3-1

The Electronic Role of the TiO₂ Light-Scattering Layer in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

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