Photovoltaic characterization of dye-sensitized solar cells:: Effect of device masking on conversion efficiency

We analyze the effect of masking on the conversion efficiency of dye sensitized solar cells (DSC) by comparing the photovoltaic performance of the device subjected to light from a solar simulator for a variety of mask sizes. The aperture size of the mask had a significant effect on the energy conversion efficiency, which varied by as much as 36%. We identify factors that contribute to measurement errors and propose optimal conditions for the characterization of DSCs of small size. Copyright (C) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.