Interplay between transparency and efficiency in dye sensitized solar cells

Opt Express. 2013 Feb 11;21(3):3235-42. doi: 10.1364/OE.21.003235.

Abstract

In this paper we analyze the interplay between transparency and efficiency in dye sensitized solar cells by varying fabrication parameters such as the thickness of the nano-crystalline TiO(2) layer, the dye loading and the dye type. Both transparency and efficiency show a saturation trend when plotted versus dye loading. By introducing the transparency-efficiency plot, we show that the relation between transparency and efficiency is linear and is almost independent on the TiO(2) thickness for a certain thickness range. On the contrary, the relation between transparency and efficiency depends strongly on the type of the dye. Moreover, we show that co-sensitization techniques can be effectively used to access regions of the transparency-efficiency space that are forbidden for single dye sensitization. The relation found between transparency and efficiency (T&E) can be the general guide for optimization of Dye Solar Cells in building integration applications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Coloring Agents / chemistry*
  • Coloring Agents / radiation effects
  • Computer Simulation
  • Computer-Aided Design*
  • Electric Power Supplies*
  • Energy Transfer
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Light
  • Models, Theoretical*
  • Refractometry
  • Scattering, Radiation
  • Solar Energy*

Substances

  • Coloring Agents