Functionalized Carboxylate Deposition (FCD) of Organic Molecules for Highly Efficient DSSC\u27S

Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) is a type of solar cell that employs a dye sensitized photo anode and a counter electrode with electrolyte injected between them. DSSCs have attracted much attention in recent years as an alternative to conventional silicon based solar cells due to their low cost and ease of device manufacturing. However traditional dip-coating approach for sensitizing TiO2 film by a monolayer of dye consumes significant portion of fabrication time that limits throughput and cost-effectiveness of this technology. Hence, there is a need for a novel approach that can sensitize dye monolayer on TiO2. Functionalized Carboxylate Deposition of dye on TiO2, a novel gas phase deposition technique, can help for rapid dye loading leading to low cost DSSCs. The objectives of this research was to improve the vacuum of FCD system designed by Baral et al., optimize time and fabricate DSSC solar cells using this system to get efficiencies comparable to dip-coating. Surface potential measurements indicated formation of monolayer of dye on TiO2. UV-VIS absorption indicated the self-limiting nature of reaction and confirmed the monolayer formation of dye. FTIR measurement confirmed the presence of dye on the TiO2 film. Current-Density characterization was done to calculate efficiency of fabricated dye using FCD system and compared to DSSCs xi prepared with dip-coating. This is the first report of DSSCs solar cell fabricated by functionalized Carboxylate deposition for dye sensitized solar cells