A novel way of improving light harvesting in dye-sensitized solar cells - Electrodeposition of titania

A novel and facile way of improving light harvesting in dye-sensitized solar cells was developed. A thin light scattering layer, composed of patches of closely-packed titania nanoparticles of 10-15 nm in size and generated via an electrodeposition of titania onto the titania photo-anode, resulted in a significant increase of the short-circuit current density by 36%, leading to a 52% increase in the light to electricity conversion efficiency. The existence of this denser nanoparticle layer in the top portion of the titania photo-anode layer, although enhancing the light harvesting of the cell, retarded the diffusion of electrolyte. Consequently, an optimum extent of titania deposition was necessary to achieve a maximum improvement in the light to electricity conversion efficiency of the cell. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.