Open AccessTransient Photocurrents in Dye-Sensitized Nanocrystalline Solar Cells
Author(s) -
Alison B. Walker,
Laurence M. Peter,
Diego Martínez,
K. Lobato
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
chimia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.387
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 2673-2424
pISSN - 0009-4293
DOI - 10.2533/chimia.2007.792
Subject(s) - trapping , photocurrent , formalism (music) , electron , materials science , thermal conduction , electrode , monte carlo method , molecular physics , atomic physics , optoelectronics , chemistry , physics , art , ecology , musical , statistics , mathematics , composite material , quantum mechanics , visual arts , biology
The time varying photocurrent response of dye-sensitized solar cells to switching on illumination and then switching the illumination off after steady state has been reached has been measured and modeled with a multiscale Monte Carlo and continuum approaches within the multiple trapping picture, where electrons in the porous TiO2 electrodes undergo successive trapping and detrapping events. These models are more detailed than the more common formalism employing an effective diffusion coefficient as they take into account the large variation in conduction electron density with distance and time near the extracting electrodes. Agreement between the three sets of results using a trap concentration and trap energy distribution width from a separate set of measurements using charge extraction shows that the multiple trapping formalism holds