We investigated the effects of using different thicknesses of pure and vanadium-doped thin films of TiO 2 as the electron transport layer in the inverted configuration of organic photovoltaic cells based on poly (3-hexylthiophene) P3HT: [6-6] phenyl-(6) butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). 1% vanadium-doped TiO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized via the solvothermal method. Crystalline structure, morphology, and optical properties of pure and vanadium-doped TiO 2 thin films were studied by different techniques such as x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmittance electron microscopy, and UV-visible transmission spectrum. The doctor blade method which is compatible with roll-2-roll printing was used for deposition of pure and vanadium-doped TiO 2 thin films with thicknesses of 30 nm and 60 nm. The final results revealed that the best thickness of TiO 2 thin films for our fabricated cells was 30 nm. The cell with vanadium-doped TiO 2 thin film showed slightly higher power conversion efficiency and great J sc of 10.7 mA/cm 2 compared with its pure counterpart. In the cells using 60 nm pure and vanadium-doped TiO 2 layers, the cell using the doped layer showed much higher efficiency. It is remarkable that the external quantum efficiency of vanadium-doped TiO 2 thin film was better in all wavelengths.

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Raman hyperspectral imaging enables visualization and measurement of the distribution of iron-binding proteins, as well as assessment of the role of proteins involved in the regulation of intracellular iron transport and membrane trafficking in intact cells. To advance the mechanistic understanding of intracellular iron transport, we have performed Raman imaging in MDA-MB-231 wild-type breast cancer cells and compared them to CRISPR/Cas9-based knock-out cells of two intracellular iron homeostasis regulators: the Divalent Metal Transporter 1 (DMT1) and the small GTPase Rab4A. Multivariate singular value decomposition (SVD) analysis showed that the wild type vs. knockout cell populations of both genes could be separated into two distinct groups. Both DMT1 and Rab4A silencing have significant and distinct impacts in a variety of Raman spectra peaks, indicating a strong impact on cell metabolism. Label-free and non-invasive Raman imaging of DMT1 or Rab4A wild-type vs. knockout breast cancer cells should provide important insights into the regulation of intracellular iron homeostasis and cell metabolism in cells and tissues.

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