Preparation of Visible Light Driven TiO₂ Thin Film and its Application to the Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC)

Abstract

Visible light driven TiO₂ thin films were successfully prepared by the sol-gel method using Praseodymium (Pr) salt and tetraisopropyl titanate (TTIP) as raw materials. Pr-doping to the TiO₂ thin film was very effective to widen the absorption edge toward the long wavelength. Photocatalytic activity of Pr-doped TiO₂ thin films were also enhanced under full arc and visible light irradiation of Xe lamp (500W). On the other hand, it has been expected that absorption in a visible region by the Pr-doped TiO₂ layer was effective to enhance the conversion efficiency of dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Then, photovoltalic properties of the Pr-doped TiO₂ thin film were also examined by using DSSC under pseudo sun light. As a result, light conversion efficiency (η) of DSSC using Pr-doped TiO₂ thin film showed 0.834%, while 0.764% for DSSC using pure TiO₂ thin film, showing about 10% increasing by the Pr-doping to the TiO₂.