Simulation of Dye-sensitized Solar Cells Based on a Population Dynamics Model

Abstract

Dye-sensitized solar cells are electrochemical devices with very interesting properties that provide an alternative to the conventional semiconductor solar cell technology. However, the details of the charge transport mechanisms, which include both electronic and ionic transport, are not yet fully understood. In this paper, we present a novel approach to dye-sensitized solar cell modeling and simulation which is based on population dynamics models that have recently been extensively used to model reactions between biological molecules. It is shown that the proposed model can be used to simulate the operation of dye-sensitized solar cells and produces I-V characteristics that are in qualitative agreement with the experimental ones. Furthermore, the model presented here can be used to optimize the characteristics and the design of dye-sensitized solar cells. Keywords: Dye-sensitized solar cells, modeling, simulation, population dynamics