Preparation of double layer porous films of Titanium/Titanium oxide for photoelectrochemical cells application

Abstract Double layer nanoporous films of Titanium (Ti)/Titanium oxide (TiO2) were fabricated by a combined radio frequency sputtering and sol–gel combustion method and investigated with respect to its photo-anode properties of transparent conductive oxide-less dye-sensitized solar cells (TCO-less DSCs). The porous Ti layer can collect electrons from the TiO2 layer and allows the ionic diffusion of iodide ion/triiodide ion ( I - / I 3 - ) through the hole. The porous Ti layer with low sheet resistance (∼2.7 Ω/sq.) can be prepared by substrate temperature 300 °C under RF power 300 W and Ar gas pressure 5 mTorr. The Ti/TiO2 double layers prepared by combined RFS/SGC method show the good impedance characteristics. The efficiency (η) of prepared TCO-less DSCs sample is 5.73% [fill factor (ff): 0.76, open circuit voltage (Voc): 0.71 V, short-circuit current density (Jsc): 10.61 mA/cm2].