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 (SnO2) coated titanium oxide (TiO2) 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 TiO2 nanostructures (300) may be TiO2 nanoparticles, TiO2 nanowires, or TiO2 nanotubes. In the case of TiO2 nanowires or TiO2 nanotubes, their center axes (500) are perpendicular to the substrate (402) top surface (404). Regardless of the TiO2 nanostructure (300) morphology, the SnO2 coating (304) thickness (306) is in the range of 2 to 10 nanometers (nm). In one aspect, the SnO2 coated TiO2 nanostructures (300) have a dielectric layer shell (308), which may have a thickness (310) in the range of 0.3 to 2 nm.