Dye sensitized solar cell and dye-sensitized solar cell module

Abstract

A dye-sensitized solar cell formed by layering a conductive layer; a photoelectric conversion layer in which a dye is adsorbed in a porous semiconductor layer and the layer is filled with a carrier transporting material; and a counter electrode including only a counter electrode conductive layer or including a catalyst layer and a counter electrode conductive layer on a support made of a light transmitting material, in which the photoelectric conversion layer is brought into contact with the counter electrode; the porous semiconductor layer forming the photoelectric conversion layer has two or more layers with different light scattering properties; and the two or more porous semiconductor layers are layered in an order of from a layer with lower light scattering property to a layer with higher light scattering property from a light receiving face side of the dye-sensitized solar cell.

1 . A dye-sensitized solar cell formed by layering a conductive layer; a photoelectric conversion layer in which a dye is adsorbed in a porous semiconductor layer and the layer is filled with a carrier transporting material; and a counter electrode including only a counter electrode conductive layer or including a catalyst layer and a counter electrode conductive layer on a support made of a light transmitting material,
 in which the photoelectric conversion layer is brought into contact with the counter electrode; the porous semiconductor layer forming the photoelectric conversion layer has two or more layers with different light scattering properties; and the two or more porous semiconductor layers are layered in an order of from a layer with lower light scattering property to a layer with higher light scattering property from a light receiving face side of the dye-sensitized solar cell.   
   
   
       2 . A dye-sensitized solar cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the two or more porous semiconductor layers are layered in an order of from a layer with a relatively smaller average particle diameter to a layer with a relatively larger average particle diameter from the light receiving face side of the solar cell. 
   
   
       3 . A dye-sensitized solar cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous semiconductor layer with the highest light scattering property and having a contact with the counter electrode is formed of semiconductor particles with an average particle diameter of 50 nm or more and other porous semiconductor layers are formed of semiconductor particles with an average particle diameter of 5 nm or more and less than 50 nm. 
   
   
       4 . A dye-sensitized solar cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the porous semiconductor layer with the highest light scattering property and having a contact with the counter electrode is 0.1 to 40 μm and the total thickness of other porous semiconductor layers is 0.1 to 50 μm. 
   
   
       5 . A dye-sensitized solar cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous semiconductor layer includes 3 to 5 layers 
   
   
       6 . A dye-sensitized solar cell according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous semiconductor layer is formed of titanium oxide particles. 
   
   
       7 . A dye-sensitized solar cell module including at least two dye-sensitized solar cells connected in series,
 wherein the dye-sensitized solar cells include a dye-sensitized solar cell formed by layering a conductive layer; a photoelectric conversion layer in which a dye is adsorbed in a porous semiconductor layer and the layer is filled with a carrier transporting material; and a counter electrode including only a counter electrode conductive layer or including a catalyst layer and a counter electrode conductive layer on a support made of a light transmitting material,   in which the photoelectric conversion layer is brought into contact with the counter electrode; the porous semiconductor layer forming the photoelectric conversion layer has two or more layers with different light scattering properties; and the two or more porous semiconductor layers are layered in an order of from a layer with lower light scattering property to a layer with higher light scattering property from a light receiving face side of the dye-sensitized solar cell.   
   
   
       8 . The dye-sensitized solar cell module according to  claim 7 , wherein the catalyst layer or the counter electrode conductive layer of the dye-sensitized solar cell is electrically connected with the conductive layer of the neighboring dye-sensitized solar cell. 
   
   
       9 . The dye-sensitized solar cell module according to  claim 7 , wherein the conductive layer on the support of the dye-sensitized solar cell and the catalyst layer or the counter electrode conductive layer on the support of the neighboring dye-sensitized solar cell are each an electrically connected single layer.