Effects of TiO2 electron blocking layer on photovoltaic performance of photo-electrochemical cell

Abstract

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) have used transparent conductive Fluorine-doped SnO2 (FTO) glass/porous TiO2 layer attached using dye molecules/electrolytes (I−/I3−)/Platinium-coated FTO glass configuration. In this work, prior to the coating of nanoporous TiO2 layer on FTO glass, a dense layer of TiO2 film with a thickness of less than ∼100nm was deposited directly onto the FTO as an electron blocking layer by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. Under 100mW/cm2 illumination at AM 1.5, the energy conversion efficiency (η) of the prepared DSC with electron blocking layer of 80nm thickness was 6.9% (Voc=0.67V, Jsc=12.18mA/cm2, ff=0.63), which is increased by 1.3% compared to the typical cell without electron blocking layer.