Combining novel device architecture and NIR dye towards the fabrication of transparent conductive oxide-less tandem dye sensitized solar cells

Abstract

Tandem solar cells with different device architectures utilizing a back contact transparent conductive oxide-less bottom electrode (TCO-less tandem DSSC) that has better control of the optical transmission losses incurred by intermediate TCO layers with flexible Pt/tin-doped indium oxide (ITO)-polyethylene terephthalate film as an intermediate layer are reported. The proposed device architecture suppresses the optical loss to a greater extent (around 30%). Sensitizers were ruthenium-based N719 dye in the top electrode, while the newly synthesized phthalocyanine dye (PC25) corresponding to photon harvesting in the near infrared (NIR) region (up to 900 nm) was used in the TCO-less bottom cell. Open circuit voltage (Voc) ≥ 1.18 V (sum of top cell and bottom cell Voc) justifies the TCO-less tandem DSSC formation.