Enhanced charge carrier generation in dye sensitized solar cells by nanoparticle plasmons

An interesting possibility to improve the conversion and cost efficiencies of photovoltaic solar cells is to exploit the large optical cross sections of localized (nanoparticle) surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs). We have investigated this prospect for dye sensitized solar cells. Photoconductivity measurements were performed on flat TiO2 films, sensitized by a combination of dye molecules and arrays of nanofabricated elliptical gold disks. An enhanced dye charge carrier generation rate was found and shown to derive from the LSPR contribution by means of the polarization dependent resonance frequency in the anisotropic, aligned gold disks. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.