Multifunctional graded index TiO2 compact layer for performance enhancement in dye sensitized solar cell

A specially tailored index TiO2 compact layer (arc-TiO2) has been successfully deposited to serve as photoanode of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. The employment of the TiO2 compact layer in the DSSC was systematically investigated by means of UV-absorption spectra, incident photon to current efficiency (IPCE), open-circuit voltage decay (OCVD) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The higher and red-shifted transmittance spectra of the ITO/arc-TiO2 electrode mimic the IPCE spectra of the DSSC, in a specific wavelength region. Furthermore, the blue-shift of the UV-absorption spectra and lower R1 value obtained from EIS measurements implied the decrease of the charge interfacial resistance, and this consequently facilitates the charge transport from the nanocrystalline-TiO2 to the ITO. The integrated effects of the arc-TiO2 compact layer originate the remarkable improvement in this type of DSSC applications. As a result, the arc-TiO2-based DSSC showed higher conversion efficiency of about 4.38%, representing almost 53% increment compared to bare ITO cell. This work also discuss the fundamental insight of the compact layer that determines the origin of such improvement in the DSSC performance.