Dye-sensitized solar cell and method of fabricating the same

Abstract

Provided are a dye-sensitized solar cell and a method of fabricating the same. The dye-sensitized solar cell includes an electrode structure including a conductive layer having pores that are regularly arranged, a semiconductor oxide layer disposed on a surface of the conductive layer, and a dye layer disposed on a surface of the semiconductor oxide layer.

1 . A dye-sensitized solar cell comprising:
 an electrode structure including:
 a conductive layer including pores which are regularly arranged; 
 a semiconductor oxide layer disposed on a surface of the conductive layer; and 
 a dye layer disposed on a surface of the semiconductor oxide layer. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dye-sensitized solar cell of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive layer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of tin oxide, indium doped tin oxide, antimony doped tin oxide, fluorine doped tin oxide, metal, conductive polymer and a nano carbon material. 
     
     
         3 . The dye-sensitized solar cell of  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor oxide layer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide, tin oxide and titanium oxide. 
     
     
         4 . A method of fabricating a dye-sensitized solar cell, the method comprising:
 forming an electrode structure including:
 preparing a template having pores that are regularly arranged; 
 forming a conductive layer on a surface of the template; 
 forming a semiconductor oxide layer on a surface of the conductive layer; and 
 forming a dye layer on a surface of the semiconductor oxide layer. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising removing the template. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the template is formed of at least one material selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) and block co-polymer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the template is burn out and removed during a thermal treatment of forming the electrode structure. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the template is formed of alumina. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the conductive layer is formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of tin oxide, indium doped tin oxide, antimony doped tin oxide, fluorine doped tin oxide, metal, conductive polymer and a nano carbon material. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the forming of the semiconductor oxide layer is performed using at least one method selected from the group consisting of a deep coating method, an electrophoretic method, and an electroplating method. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the semiconductor oxide layer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide, tin oxide and titanium oxide. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the forming of the semiconductor oxide layer comprises anodizing or thermally oxidizing a metal or a metal precursor. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the semiconductor oxide layer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide, tin oxide and titanium oxide.