Comparison of transparent conductive indium tin oxide, titanium-doped indium oxide, and fluorine-doped tin oxide films for dye-sensitized solar cell application

Abstract

In this study, we investigate the photovoltaic performance of transparent conductive indium tin oxide (ITO), titanium-doped indium oxide (ITiO), and fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) films. ITO and ITiO films are prepared by radio frequency magnetron sputtering on soda-lime glass substrate at <TEX>$300^{\circ}C$</TEX>, and the FTO film used is a commercial product. We measure the X-ray diffraction patterns, AFM micrographs, transmittance, sheet resistances after heat treatment, and transparent conductive characteristics of each film. The value of electrical resistivity and optical transmittance of the ITiO films was <TEX>$4.15{\times}10^{-4}\;{\Omega}-cm$</TEX>. The near-infrared ray transmittance of ITiO is the highest for wavelengths over 1,000 nm, which can increase dye sensitization compared to ITO and FTO. The photoconversion efficiency (<TEX>${\eta}$</TEX>) of the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) sample using ITiO was 5.64%, whereas it was 2.73% and 6.47% for DSC samples with ITO and FTO, respectively, both at 100 mW/<TEX>$cm^2$</TEX> light intensity.