Dye-sensitized solar cells with a tri-layer ZnO photo-electrode

Graphical abstract: Schematic diagram for the energy-level, the paths of charge transfer, the model of light scattering in the top layer and the assembly of the DSSC. Highlights: •We successfully fabricated ZnO photo-anodes with a tri-layer ZnO structure. •The ZnO seed layer decreased the transfer resistance at the ZnO/FTO interface. •The ZnO light scattering layer could increase the number of photoelectrons. •Jsc and Voc were greatly enhanced via the use of the tri-layer ZnO structure. •The efficiency of the DSSCs for a tri-layer ZnO structure was the highest. -- Abstract: In this paper, a tri-layer ZnO structure was designed to fabricate the photo-anodes of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The results showed that an overall energy-conversion efficiency of 1.18% was achieved for DSSC with the tri-layer photo-anode, which was 14% higher than that obtained from a bilayer ZnO photo-anode (with an efficiency of 1.04%) and 76% higher than that fabricated with a single layer photo-anode (with an efficiency of 0.67%). The photo-current density and the open circuit voltage have greatly increased via the use of the tri-layer ZnO structure. Thus, the tri-layer ZnO structure might provide a new route for the improvement of the overall energy-conversion efficiency for the DSSC of ZnO