TCO less dye-sensitized solar cell lithographic methods for injecting the electrolyte

Abstract

Typical Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) are composed of mesoporous TiO₂ nanocrystals electrode on transparent fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate, sensitizers on the TiO₂ nanocrystals, platinum (Pt) on the FTO substrate as a counter-electrode, and iodine/iodide electrolytes between the two transparent conducting oxide (TCO) substrate. But two transparent conductive oxide(TCO) substrates are estimated to be about 60[%] of the total cost of the DSSCs. Currently novel TCO-less structures have been investigated in order to reduce the cost. We suggested a TCO-less DSSCs which has titanium layer electrodes. Titanium layer electrodes are formed by electron-beam evaporation method. And we proposed the formation of hole for injecting the electrolyte of DSSC by using lithographic method. The sizes of holes are 4um and the intervals of holes are 2um. Finally, we prepared the 0.45 cm² DSSC device and analytical instruments such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope were used to evaluate the TCO-less DSSCs.