Abstract
A solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell (SDSC) was fabricated with a very thin (~ 650 nm) mesoporous TiO2 electrode and a donor-antenna (D-A) dye by using 2,2',7,7'- tetrakis - (N,N-di-p-methoxyphenyl-amine) 9,9'- spirobifluorene (Spiro OMeTAD) as hole conductor. A highly transparent thin electrode sensitized with D-A dye showed a short circuit current (Isc) of 4.10mA/cm2, an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 782 mV and an efficiency of 1.79 % at an illumination intensity of 100 mW/cm2 (1 sun, AM 1.5G). TiCl4 treatment of mesoporous TiO2 layer resulted in Isc of 6.18 mA/cm2, Voc of 737 mV and an efficiency of 2.12% at the same illumination intensity. This investigation demonstrates the possibility of fabrication of SDSC by way of using a very thin and transparent TiO2 electrode together with a high molar extinction coefficient D-A dye, and the effect of TiO2 layer thickness on solid-state solar cell performances is discussed. Keywords: Donor - antenna dye, sensitization, solid-state dyesensitized solar cell, TiO2, transparent electrode. Doi: 10.4038/jnsfsr.v39i1.2921 J.Natn.Sci.Foundation Sri Lanka 2011 39 (1): 35-42
Highlights
Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are an attractive alternative for light-to-electricity conversion applications due to their high efficiency and cost effectiveness (O'Regan & Gratzel, 1991; Tennakone, 2001; Thelakkat, 2002)
A thicker TiO2 layer results in incomplete pore filling of Spiro-OMeTAD in the mesoporous TiO2 layer leading to lower efficiency of the cells. i.e. A sensitized solar cell (SDSC) fabricated with a semitransparent ~ 2.2 μm thick TiO2 layer which is sensitized by cisRuLLV(SCN)[2] (L=4,4V-dicarboxylic acid-2,2Vbipyridine, LV=4,4V-dinonyl-2,2V-bipyridine, Z907)
The efficient pore filling of Spiro-OMeTAD has been noticed for thinner TiO2 layers with the compensation of light absorption. These findings revealed the importance of a thinner transparent TiO2 layer and a dye with a high absorption coefficient in fabrication of efficient SDSC devices
Summary
Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are an attractive alternative for light-to-electricity conversion applications due to their high efficiency and cost effectiveness (O'Regan & Gratzel, 1991; Tennakone, 2001; Thelakkat, 2002). The diffusion electron transport mechanism plays a decisive role in the mesoporous TiO2 electrodes because of the absence of an electrical potential gradient in the films (Hagfeldt & Grätzel, 1995; Solbrand et al, 1997). A thicker TiO2 layer is indispensable to adsorb ample dye so as to absorb greater fraction of incoming sunlight. These two opposing factors, light harvesting and charge collection, lead to an optimal thickness of the TiO2 layer in SDSCs. A thicker TiO2 layer results in incomplete pore filling of Spiro-OMeTAD in the mesoporous TiO2 layer leading to lower efficiency of the cells. A thicker TiO2 layer results in incomplete pore filling of Spiro-OMeTAD in the mesoporous TiO2 layer leading to lower efficiency of the cells. i.e. A SDSC fabricated with a semitransparent ~ 2.2 μm thick TiO2 layer which is sensitized by cisRuLLV(SCN)[2] (L=4,4V-dicarboxylic acid-2,2Vbipyridine, LV=4,4V-dinonyl-2,2V-bipyridine, Z907)
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