Enhancement in the efficiency of a TiO2 dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) has been demonstrated by introducing ferromagnetic perovskite BiFeO3 and controlling the magnetic field, which induces two-dimensional material-like properties in the bulk of the TiO2-BiFeO3 DSSC (a 3-dimensional material). The effect of the concentration of BiFeO3 as well as the magnetization direction on the performance of the TiO2-BiFeO3 DSSC has been investigated. After magnetization, it was confirmed that the current density, efficiency, and open circuit voltage of the TiO2-BiFeO3 DSSC were increased. The observed phenomena have been explained in terms of the Hall effect which is responsible for the reduction of the degree of freedom of the electron movement resulting in the two-dimensional material-like properties in the bulk of the TiO2-BiFeO3 DSSC.
Keywords: BiFeO3; Hall effect; TiO2; dye-sensitized solar cell; magnetization.