Dye-sensitized Solar Cells Employing a SnO2-TiO2 Core-shell Structure Made by Atomic Layer Deposition

Authors

  • Martin Karlsson Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory Uppsala University Box 523, 751 20 Uppsala, Sweden
  • Indrek Jõgi Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory Uppsala University Box 523, 751 20 Uppsala, Sweden
  • Susanna K. Eriksson Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory Uppsala University Box 523, 751 20 Uppsala, Sweden
  • Håkan Rensmo Condensed Matter Physics, Ångström Laboratory Uppsala University Box 516, 751 20 Uppsala, Sweden
  • Mats Boman Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory Uppsala University Box 523, 751 20 Uppsala, Sweden
  • Gerrit Boschloo Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory Uppsala University Box 523, 751 20 Uppsala, Sweden
  • Anders Hagfeldt Department of Chemistry, Ångström Laboratory Uppsala University Box 523, 751 20 Uppsala, Sweden. anders.hagfeldt@kemi.uu.se

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2533/chimia.2013.142

Keywords:

Core-shell, Dye-sensitized solar cell, Electron lifetime, Photo-capacitor, Spiro-ometad

Abstract

This paper describes the synthesis and characterization of core-shell structures, based on SnO2 and TiO2, for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSC). Atomic layer deposition is employed to control and vary the thickness of the TiO2 shell. Increasing the TiO2 shell thickness to 2 nm improved the device performance of liquid electrolyte-based DSC from 0.7% to 3.5%. The increase in efficiency originates from a higher open-circuit potential and a higher short-circuit current, as well as from an improvement in the electron lifetime. SnO2-TiO2 core-shell DSC devices retain their photovoltage in darkness for longer than 500 seconds, demonstrating that the electrons are contained in the core material. Finally core-shell structures were used for solid-state DSC applications using the hole transporting material 2,2',7,7',-tetrakis(N, N-di-p-methoxyphenyl-amine)-9,9',-spirofluorene. Similar improvements in device performance were obtained for solid-state DSC devices.

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Published

2013-03-27

Issue

Section

Scientific Articles

How to Cite

[1]
M. Karlsson, I. Jõgi, S. K. Eriksson, H. Rensmo, M. Boman, G. Boschloo, A. Hagfeldt, Chimia 2013, 67, 142, DOI: 10.2533/chimia.2013.142.