Comparison of the dye-sensitized solar cells performances based on transparent conductive ITO and FTO

Abstract We investigated dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) performances with regard to transparent conducting oxide substrates: indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) and fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO). The DSSCs were in a standard configuration: a photoelectrode of TiO2 nanoparticles (9 nm size, anatase phase) deposited on transparent and electrically conductive substrates, counter electrodes of Pt-coated glass, ruthenium 535 dye, and AN50 iodolyte electrolyte (Solaronix). The cells manufactured from ITO (FTO) had an open circuit voltage of 705 (763) mV and short-circuit current of 7.87 (34.3) mA/cm2. A direct correlation was found between transparent conductive film resistivity and cell efficiency. Resistivities of 52 Ω/sq for ITO substrates and 8.5 Ω/sq for FTO led to major differences in internal global efficiency: from 2.24% for ITO to 9.6% for FTO.