Solid-State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells using Ordered TiO2 Nanorods on Transparent Conductive Oxide as Photoanodes

TiO2 nanorod arrays were prepared on top of a transparent conductive glass substrate covered with a thin TiO2 compact layer. Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (SSDSCs) were fabricated using these structured TiO2 films sensitized with C106 dye as a photoanode and 2,2',7,7'-tetrakis-(N,N-dipmethoxyphenylamine) 9,9'-spirobifluorene (spiro-MeOTAD) as the organic hole-transporting material. Photovoltaic power conversion efficiency of 2.9% was obtained at full sunlight intensity. The electron lifetime as well as the electron diffusion coefficient in the device was determined by charge extraction, transient photovoltage decay, and open-circuit photovoltage decay experiments.