Dye-sensitized solar cell, tandem dye-sensitized solar cell, and composite nanostructure

摘要

A dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) (400) is provided, made from an anode layer (406) of tin oxide (SnO 2 ) coated titanium oxide (TiO 2 ) nanostructures (300) that overlie a substrate (402) top surface (404). A dye (407) overlies the anode layer (406), and a cathode (408) overlies the dye (407). The cathode (408) may be a hole conducting layer having a solid state phase or a redox electrolyte, with a counter electrode (412). The TiO 2 nanostructures (300) may be TiO 2 nanoparticles, TiO 2 nanowires, or TiO 2 nanotubes. In the case of TiO 2 nanowires or TiO 2 nanotubes, their center axes (500) are perpendicular to the substrate (402) top surface (404). Regardless of the TiO 2 nanostructure (300) morphology, the SnO 2 coating (304) thickness (306) is in the range of 2 to 10 nanometers (nm). In one aspect, the SnO 2 coated TiO 2 nanostructures (300) have a dielectric layer shell (308), which may have a thickness (310) in the range of 0.3 to 2 nm.