Origins of device performance in dicarboxyterpyridine Ru(ii) dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

This study carefully examines carrier dynamics in highly efficient dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on a series of recently developed dicarboxyterpyridine Ru(II) dyes (PRT-11–15). Comprehensive spectral response analyses, transient photovoltage and photocurrent measurements, and transient absorption techniques are exploited to investigate the effects of various functionalized terpyridines on carrier injection efficiency (η_inj), electron diffusion length (L) and dye-regeneration efficiency (η_reg). The resulting parameters are fully comprehended, which are then correlated with the origins of the device performance such as short circuit current density J_sc, open circuit voltage V_oc and hence the overall conversion efficiency η in these Ru(II) based DSSCs.