Analysis of changes in efficiency by simulating dye-sensitized solar cells varying the characteristics of TiO2

Alessio Gagliardi; Desiree Gentilini; Fabrizio Giordano; Matthias Auf Der Maur; Aldo Di Carlo

doi:10.1117/12.840652

Analysis of changes in efficiency by simulating dye-sensitized solar cells varying the characteristics of TiO₂

Alessio Gagliardi, Desiree Gentilini, Fabrizio Giordano, Matthias Auf Der Maur, Aldo Di Carlo

University of Rome Tor Vergata

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

Dye Sensitized solar cells (DSC) are an interesting alternative to conventional silicon based solar cells. Although DSCs are very close to be commercialized, still many issues need to be addressed. Part of the problem is related to the lack of a reliable and consistent simulator able to catch the physics and the chemistry underlining the functioning of the cell. The need of a reliable simulator and modelling is particularly important for the engineering of the cell and to define trends not only in the component characteristics, but also in the building of the device. Among the different parts which compone a DSC the relevance of semiconductor titanium oxide substrate can hardly be underestimated. TiO₂ is where the dye molecule is chemisorbed and where the recombination occurs. Moreover, changes in the topology of the semiconductor paste can lead to other smaller effects in the total efficiency. In this paper we investigate the effects of changing working parameters for the titanium oxide and varying its topology. The simulations are performed using a finite element code based on TiberCAD software1 to describe in details the electrical properties of the cell. The CAD allows to calculate steady-state properties and ideal I-V characteristics of the cell solving a set of differential equations on meshes in 1, 2 and 3 dimensions.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XVIII
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.840652
State	Published - 2010
Externally published	Yes
Event	Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XVIII - San Francisco, CA, United States Duration: 25 Jan 2010 → 28 Jan 2010

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume	7597
ISSN (Print)	0277-786X

Conference

Conference	Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XVIII
Country/Territory	United States
City	San Francisco, CA
Period	25/01/10 → 28/01/10

Keywords

Drift diffusion
Dye sensitized solar cells
Finite element methods
Solar cells

Access to Document

10.1117/12.840652

Cite this

Gagliardi, A., Gentilini, D., Giordano, F., Auf Der Maur, M., & Di Carlo, A. (2010). Analysis of changes in efficiency by simulating dye-sensitized solar cells varying the characteristics of TiO₂. In Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XVIII Article 75970A (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 7597). https://doi.org/10.1117/12.840652

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title = "Analysis of changes in efficiency by simulating dye-sensitized solar cells varying the characteristics of TiO2",

abstract = "Dye Sensitized solar cells (DSC) are an interesting alternative to conventional silicon based solar cells. Although DSCs are very close to be commercialized, still many issues need to be addressed. Part of the problem is related to the lack of a reliable and consistent simulator able to catch the physics and the chemistry underlining the functioning of the cell. The need of a reliable simulator and modelling is particularly important for the engineering of the cell and to define trends not only in the component characteristics, but also in the building of the device. Among the different parts which compone a DSC the relevance of semiconductor titanium oxide substrate can hardly be underestimated. TiO2 is where the dye molecule is chemisorbed and where the recombination occurs. Moreover, changes in the topology of the semiconductor paste can lead to other smaller effects in the total efficiency. In this paper we investigate the effects of changing working parameters for the titanium oxide and varying its topology. The simulations are performed using a finite element code based on TiberCAD software1 to describe in details the electrical properties of the cell. The CAD allows to calculate steady-state properties and ideal I-V characteristics of the cell solving a set of differential equations on meshes in 1, 2 and 3 dimensions.",

keywords = "Drift diffusion, Dye sensitized solar cells, Finite element methods, Solar cells",

author = "Alessio Gagliardi and Desiree Gentilini and Fabrizio Giordano and {Auf Der Maur}, Matthias and {Di Carlo}, Aldo",

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Gagliardi, A, Gentilini, D, Giordano, F, Auf Der Maur, M & Di Carlo, A 2010, Analysis of changes in efficiency by simulating dye-sensitized solar cells varying the characteristics of TiO₂. in Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XVIII., 75970A, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, vol. 7597, Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XVIII, San Francisco, CA, United States, 25/01/10. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.840652

Analysis of changes in efficiency by simulating dye-sensitized solar cells varying the characteristics of TiO₂. / Gagliardi, Alessio; Gentilini, Desiree; Giordano, Fabrizio et al.
Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XVIII. 2010. 75970A (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 7597).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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