Sensitization of TiO2 by merocyanine dye in the presence of plasmon nanoparticles

Abstract

The process of sensitization of TiO2 films by merocyanine dye in the presence of Ag/TiO2 core/shell nanoparticles (NPs) was studied. It was shown that in the presence of plasmonic Ag/TiO2 NPs an increase in the fluorescence intensity of the merocyanine dye by 30% was recorded. The fluorescence lifetime of the dye practically does not change in the presence of Ag/TiO2 NPs. It was assumed that the fluorescence enhancement of dye is associated with an increase in the excitation rate of dye molecules. The efficiency of sensitization of titanium dioxide films with a merocyanine dye increases in the presence of Ag/TiO2 NPs and accompanied by a growth in the short-circuit current density and open-circuit voltage of solar cells.