Nanocrystalline Ti-oxide-based solar cells made by sputter deposition and dye sensitization: Efficiency versus film thickness

Nanocrystalline TiO2-based films with a special penniform microstructure were prepared by reactive DC magnetron sputtering followed by dye sensitization. The films were integrated in a solar cell configuration and were able to yield a higher photocurrent than sol–gel-produced Ti-oxide-based films of similar thickness. The photoelectric conversion efficiency reached 4% in ∼10-μm-thick sputter deposited films.