Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) represent a promising photovoltaic technology. The original design includes a monolayer of organic or ruthenium-based dyes adsorbed on a high-porosity TiO2 substrate (the electron transporter) surrounded by an iodine electrolyte solution (the hole conductor). It is desirable to replace the liquid electrolyte with a solid state hole conductor in order to improve device stability, but such solid state DSSCs have yet to reach the efficiencies attained by liquid cells. This is due primarily to electron-hole recombination, which occurs much more readily in the solid state design. Our research focuses on engineering the dye-TiO2 interface using both organic and inorganic modifiers in order to reduce recombination and improve efficiency. The resultant systems are characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, and synchrotron methods, and by solar cell testing techniques including photoluminescence quenching and current-voltage measurements. [ - ]

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) represent a promising photovoltaic technology. The original... [ + ]