Frontside illuminated TiO2 nanotube dye-sensitized solar cells using multifunctional microchannel array electrodes

Abstract

Here we report a frontside illuminated ${\text{TiO}}_2$ nanotube based dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The photoanode with inclined microchannels (IMCs) formed by laser drilling acted as a multifunctional role for enhancing the cell’s efficiency; light trapping, pathway for transporting electrolyte, and extra surface area for dye loading. The amount of N719 dye absorbed on IMCs photoanode was measured to be $3.83\times {10}^{-7}\text{mol}/{\text{cm}}^2$ , which was almost 1.82 times as high as that of the flat photoanode. The frontside illuminated DSSC showed an energy conversion efficiency of 4.1% under AM1.5 condition, which was much higher compared to that (3.1%) of the backside illuminated DSSC.