Aligned TiO2 nanocolumnar layers prepared by PVD-GLAD for transparent dye sensitized solar cells

Transparent thin film electrodes made of vertically aligned nanocolumns of TiO2 with well-controlled oblique angles were grown by physical vapor deposition at glancing incidence (PVD-GLAD). For an electrode thickness of 500 nm, we report a 40% variation on solar cell efficiency (from 0.6% to 1.04%)...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Energy & environmental science 2011-01, Vol.4 (9), p.3426-3435
Main Authors: González-García, Lola, González-Valls, Irene, Lira-Cantu, Mónica, Barranco, Angel, González-Elipe, Agustín R.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Transparent thin film electrodes made of vertically aligned nanocolumns of TiO2 with well-controlled oblique angles were grown by physical vapor deposition at glancing incidence (PVD-GLAD). For an electrode thickness of 500 nm, we report a 40% variation on solar cell efficiency (from 0.6% to 1.04%) when the deposition angle was modified between 60[degree] and 85[degree]. Transparent thicker films with higher surface area deposited at the optimal angle of 70[degree] were grown with a zigzag morphology which confers high mechanical strength to the thin films. Using this topology, the application of an electrode thickness of 3 [small micro]m in a DSC resulted in a power conversion efficiency of 2.78% maintaining electrode transparency.
ISSN:1754-5692
1754-5706
DOI:10.1039/c0ee00489h