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Essay On Photoelectrode

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In 1991 major breakthrough has come in the field of photovoltaic technology known as dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) [1]. This kind of solar cells is low-cost and simple functioning together with their advantageous characteristics (e.g. lightweight, flexible, low toxicity and good performance in diverse light conditions) [2]. Usually consists of dye-adsorbed nanostructured metal oxide film served as a photoanode, a Pt-coated counter electrode and liquid electrolyte injected between them [3]. Light irradiate on the nanostructured metal oxide film causes photo-excitation of the dye molecules to create exciting electrons which are then injected into the conduction band of the semiconductor and fast transferred to the external circuit …show more content…

Thus, numbers of articles devoted to ZnO photoelectrode with the aim of enhancing efficiency by reducing the charge recombination, and improving electrical/optical performance [9-12]. In this regard, doping is the most advantageous approach to modify ZnO structure. Different kind of metals such as lanthanum [13] aluminum [14], tin [15], magnesium [16], titanium [17] has been widely investigated in ZnO photoelectrode for improving the performance. Moreover, earlier reports on the DSSC have proven that the active area is directly proportional to the power conversion efficiency [18]. Therefore, we attempted to incorporate indium to improve above cited aspects with an idea working area (0.25cm2) of prototype DSSC. Indium (In3+) chosen as dopant, because it has a noteworthy contribution in transparent conducting oxide materials and much work devoted in indium doped ZnO as a transparent conducting oxide film [19-20]. Owing to their remarkable properties such as high electronegativity, minute native lattice distortion with preferable chemical stability make indium as suitable donor than other elements for finding high quality ZnO based transparent conducting oxide with excellent conductivity in DSSCs [21]. Rama Krishna Chava et al. reports the trivalent indium substitution in zinc oxide nanoparticles enhance the carrier concentration

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