Electrolytically deposited titanium dioxide films for dye sensitized solar cell applications

In this paper we report on the use of titanium dioxide (TiO2) films obtained through electrolytic deposition for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The deposition process consisted of two steps: deposition of titanium oxy-hydroxide films, and their heat treatment to get TiO2 films. Deposited films were studied using AFM, SEM, XRD, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. By sensitizing the films with Z709 dye DSSCs were fabricated and their performance under AM1.5 spectrum was studied. The study shows that: a) Etching as deposited films improves dye absorption; b) For this film deposition process to be suitable for large area applications it is necessary to devise a method to maintain a uniform distribution of current density throughout the substrate surface.