Photo-electric conversion in dye-doped nanocrystalline titania films

Influences of the titania nanostructure and dye dispersion in a dye-doped titania electrode on its photo-electric conversion property were investigated by simple spectroscopic and electric measurements. The dye-doped nanocrystalline titania electrodes were prepared on the glass plates coated with ITO and normal crystalline titania films by the following two procedures: (1) the dye-doped titania gel films were prepared from a titanium alkoxide solution containing the dye and then steam-treated, and (2) the titanium alkoxide sol containing the dye was refluxed and then spread onto the plates. The photocurrent quantum efficiency remarkably increased by the steam treatment and the reflux compared to that of the untreated dye-doped electrode consisting of amorphous titania gel. The efficiency in the former was higher than that in the latter. The growth and crystallization of the titania particles and the decrease in the defect density by these treatments improved the electric conductivity. The steam treatment was the more prominent method because it enhanced the electric conductivity of the titania depending on its nanostructure and the dye–titania interaction depending on the dye dispersion. These factors appear to play important roles in transport in the electron through the electrode.