Enhancing Dye Sensitized Solar Cells Efficiency by Improving TiO₂ Electrode and Dye

We mainly discuss the technique of Titanium Dioxide (TiO₂) work electrode of the dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). We studied the characteristics of nanometer photocatalyzer layer with silver atom on porous layer. We found that when we sprayed one photocatalyzer layer with the silver (Ag) atom before steeping the dye, the Open Circuit Voltage (V _OC) could reach 0.66 V, the Short Circuit Current density (J _sc) could reach 8.80 mA/cm², and the device efficiency could reach 4.13% under Solar Simulator AM 1.5. We compared this to a standard device in which efficiency was 3.75%, finding that the entire effect was improved by approximately 10%. We using spin-coat method to produce DSSC. Comparing with using scraper to spread (Dr. Blade) TiO₂ layer, spin-coat method get higher photon-electron efficiency (η). Porous layer thickness is a crucial for photon-electron efficiency. In this case the best thickness is about 12 μm, it can obtain η ∼ 6.2% with ITO-based electrode.