Effect of Diffuse Light Scattering Designs on the Efficiency of Dye Solar Cells: An Integral Optical and Electrical Description

Gálvez, Filomena Pérez; Kemppainen, Erno; Míguez, Hernán; Halme, Janne

doi:10.1021/jp2092708

Cited by 51 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…On the other hand, there is an indirect but facile and efficient method for the introduction of a light-scattering layer (LSL) into the TiO 2 electrode of a DSSC, which would enhance the optical density by elongating the optical path of the light inside the film (Ferber and Luther, 1998;Gálvez et al, 2012). This strategy would lead to an increase in the LHE of the sensitized TiO 2 photoelectrode film (Gálvez et al, 2012;Huang et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This strategy would lead to an increase in the LHE of the sensitized TiO 2 photoelectrode film (Gálvez et al, 2012;Huang et al, 2010). The LSLs are composed of rutile TiO 2 or ZrO 2 /TiO 2 particles, where the size is similar to or larger than the wavelength range of visible light.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is a strong dependence of the incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency (IPCE) on the type of light-scattering design employed (e.g., size and position), which determines the overall PCEs of DSSCs (Gálvez et al, 2012). Different TiO 2 photoelectrodes with layers of light-scattering particles and mixtures of TiO 2 nanoparticles with the light-scattering particles in a desirable sequence, have been investigated to optimize the PCE of DSSCs (Wang et al, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Optimization of hierarchical light-scattering layers in TiO2 photoelectrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells

et al. 2016

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Optimization of hierarchical light-scattering layers in TiO2 photoelectrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells

et al. 2016

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“…Light scatterings effects can be simulated for example with numerical Monte Carlo methods, e.g. 76,77 , that are applicable not only for planar electrodes but in general. For planar electrodes, approximate modeling of light scattering effects can be carried out analytically with the four-flux model that divides the light flux to forward and backward moving specular and diffuse components 78,79 .…”

Section: Transfer Matrix Modeling Of Multiple Reflections and Interfementioning

confidence: 99%

Physical Modeling of Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production Devices

2015

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Solar-powered water splitting with photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices is a promising method to simultaneously harvest and store solar energy at a large scale. Highly efficient small prototype PEC devices reported recently demonstrate a move from basic material research towards design and engineering of complete devices and systems. The increased interest in engineering calls for better understanding about the operational details of PEC devices at different length scales. The relevant physical phenomena and the properties of typical materials are well known for separate device components, but their interaction in a complete PEC cell has received less attention. Coupled physical models are useful for studying these interactions and understanding the device operation as a whole, and for optimizing the devices. We review the central physical processes in solar-powered water splitting cells and the physical models used in their theoretical simulations. Our focus is in particular on how different physical processes have been coupled together to construct device models, and how different electrode and device geometries have been taken into account in them. Reflecting on the literature we discuss future opportunities and challenges in the modeling of PEC cells.3

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“…The design of materials ad hoc has allowed overcoming these obstacles and high expectations are now being put on them. Conventionally, large anatase particles acting as scattering centres [8][9][10] have been employed to trap freely propagating photons into the photoanode by multiple scattering. This optical phenomenon gives rise to a large enhancement of the light harvesting effi ciency, but also implies that the DSC turns opaque.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Multidirectional Light‐Harvesting Enhancement in Dye Solar Cells by Surface Patterning

López-López

Colodrero

Jiménez‐Solano

et al. 2014

Advanced Optical Materials

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purpose in other types of thin fi lm solar cells, [3][4][5][6][7] their integration in DSCs has been delayed until recently as a result of the diffi culties that arise when optical materials are combined with the usually employed TiO 2 (anatase) pastes and corrosive electrolytes used in DSCs. The design of materials ad hoc has allowed overcoming these obstacles and high expectations are now being put on them. Conventionally, large anatase particles acting as scattering centres [8][9][10] have been employed to trap freely propagating photons into the photoanode by multiple scattering. This optical phenomenon gives rise to a large enhancement of the light harvesting effi ciency, but also implies that the DSC turns opaque. Motivated originally by the possibility to take advantage of slow photon effects, and later by that of preserving transparency in cells of enhanced effi ciency, different periodic architectures with photonic crystal properties have been proposed. [11][12][13][14] In this case, the primary mechanism of improvement is the back refl ection of light frequencies that falls within the photonic band gap, although different types of optical resonances have been shown to contribute to the enhancement as well. [ 15,16 ] In all these approaches, as they are based on diffuse or specular back refl ection, the improvement of performance when light reaches the cell from the front side is inevitably accompanied by a decrease of the efficiency when light comes from the counter electrode. As an alternative to these approaches, very recently, relief patterns have been moulded onto the surface of nanocrystalline anatase fi lms with the aim of diffracting unabsorbed light back into the electrode with an oblique angle. Initially reported results prove the potential of this approach to largely increase the light harvesting effi ciency without adding any extra layer to the cell. [17][18][19][20] Besides, these results indicate that it should be possible to improve effi ciency while preserving the multidirectional operation of the cell (i.e., under front and rear illumination conditions), as the nanostructured surface of a transparent material behave as diffracting interface and, hence, as potential absorption enhancer at any angle of incidence of light on its surface.In this work, we demonstrate that surface relief patterns can be used as multidirectional enhancers of the effi ciency of DSC. We used a combination of soft-lithography and micro-stamping One dimensional gratings patterned on the surface of nanocrystalline titania electrodes are used as a light harvesting strategy to improve the overall performance of dye solar cells under both frontal and rear illumination conditions. A soft-lithography-based micromoulding approach is employed to replicate a periodic surface relief pattern onto the surface of the electrode, which is later sensitized with a dye. As the patterned surface acts as an optical grating both in refl ection and transmission modes, its effect is to increase the light path of diffracted beams within ...

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Effect of Diffuse Light Scattering Designs on the Efficiency of Dye Solar Cells: An Integral Optical and Electrical Description

Cited by 51 publications

References 35 publications

Optimization of hierarchical light-scattering layers in TiO2 photoelectrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells

Optimization of hierarchical light-scattering layers in TiO2 photoelectrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells

Physical Modeling of Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production Devices

Multidirectional Light‐Harvesting Enhancement in Dye Solar Cells by Surface Patterning

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