ABSTRACTDye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated using porous thin films of TiO2. These films were deposited by electron beam evaporation and an advanced substrate motion technique called PhiSweep. PhiSweep, an extension of glancing angle deposition (GLAD), allows for greater control over the surface area of nanostructured thin films than is possible with traditional GLAD. The as-deposited films were amorphous, so the films were annealed to improve their crystal structure. The films were sensitized with a photoactive dye and implemented into a DSSC configuration as the electron collecting electrode. It was expected that the higher surface area of the films produced using the PhiSweep method would improve the cell performance compared with cells made using traditional GLAD films of TiO2. However, the performance of the cells prepared using PhiSweep films was likely hindered by higher internal resistance of the films compared to the films prepared by traditional GLAD. The highest photoelectric conversion efficiency of the dye sensitized solar cells produced using the PhiSweep method was 1.5%.
CuO and CuO/Graphene Nanostructured Thin Films as Counter Electrodes for Pt-Free Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
