MoO3 surface passivation on TiO2: An efficient approach to minimize loss in fill factor and maximum power of dye sensitized solar cell

Abstract

The present study demonstrates the possibility for improving the performance of dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) only by minimizing the loss in fill factor (FF) and maximum power point (PMAX) which can be achieved by passivating the nanocrystalline titanium dioxide (TiO2) using physical vapor deposited molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) thin films. The effect of MoO3 coated TiO2 on charge carrier transport was examined in resulting DSSCs and observed that ∼14% enhancement in efficiency is possible for 5 min passivation of MoO3 on TiO2. The physical vapor deposited MoO3 films were ∼75% transparent in the spectral range of 350–800 nm with an optical bandgap of ∼3.1 eV. The wide bandgap MoO3 films facilitate the incoming photons to reach the sensitizing dye to generate excitons. The 14% enhancement in the performance of DSSC by MoO3 passivation is observed through improving only the FF and PMAX while it does not contribute anything significantly to current density and open circuit voltage. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopic studies further confirmed these observations through photo-electron lifetime, which remains constant both in the bulk of pristine TiO2 and MoO3 passivated TiO2 and it further confirms the effect of MoO3 passivation on FF and PMAX in DSSCs.