Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC) possesses huge potential in solar energy utilisation and immense research has been carried out in order to improve its performance. There are several aspects that affect the solar cell’s performance, such as the photon collection efficiency of the cell, the reflectivity of the semiconductor, the transparency and conductivity of the transparent conductive oxide layer, and the photon-electron conversion efficiency. In this research, a pre-patterned substrate was used as a base to fabricate DSSC for improving the photon collection efficiency of DSSC. The pre-patterned substrate was prepared using maskless dry etching technique, resulting in micro-size features on the substrates and giving a 1% reduction on reflectance. The effect of Aluminium doped ZnO sputtered as the Transparent Conductive Oxide layer (TCO) in comparison with a typical DSSC fabricated on Tin doped Indium Oxide glass (ITO) was also studied. The research was carried out in two parts: substrate texturing of glass fabrication with Al:ZnO deposition, and DSSC cell assembly. The first half was carried out in the nanofabrication laboratory at University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and the second half was in National Nano Device Laboratory, Taiwan. The characteristics of both the substrates and the cells were measured using spectrophotometer with integrating sphere and solar cell simulation system. Decrease in reflectance of the Al:ZnO coated substrate at infrared region from 20% to 10 % was achieved. Due to the high resistivity of Al:ZnO and the problem of incapability in TiO2 coating, DSSC cells fabricated with these substrates have efficiencies around 2%, which is lower than the typical DSSC cells fabricated with ITO glass. Future adjustments on the substrate etching process and the cell assembly are needed for optimizing the results. The relatively high resistivity of Al:ZnO also needs to be lower for better DSSC cell performance.

A method was developed to access the interior of light-guiding structures in order to exploit the enhanced sensing potential of the highly confined electromagnetic field distributions, located within the core of a waveguide. The work presented in this thesis explores therefore the possibilities of optical waveguide spectroscopy utilising transparent mesoporous thin-film waveguides deposited on top of athin gold layer. These multi-layer assemblies are employed in a prism-coupling attenuated total internal reflection (ATR) configuration. The angular read-out of the reflected light intensity allows label-free detection schemes with high sensitivity to changes of the dielectric environment in the case of the presence of analyte molecules within the probing region. This optical waveguide spectroscopy technique has been used to study the real-timediffusion of Ruthenium 535-bisTBA (N-719) dye into mesoporous nanocrystalline titaniumdioxide films. The porous films were prepared on top of gold substrates and prism coupling was used to create a guided wave in the nanocrystalline film. Dying was carried out by bring the film into contact with a 3 x 10-4 moldm-3 dye solution and using optical waveguide spectroscopy to monitor the change in both the refractive index and theextinction coefficient of the nanoporous layer as dye diffused into the porous network. Dyeuptake in a 1.27 μm film was slow with the refractive index of the film still increasing after 22 hours.

Dye design is one of the most important and challenging areas in dye-sensitised solar cell research. The purpose of the work in this thesis is to synthesise and characterise novel ruthenium(II) and copper(I) dyes that will provide insight into the number of binding groups required and the potential use of chromophoric ligands. A series of four simple Ru(II) dyes have been synthesised with the general formula Ru(4,4’- (R)-bipyridine)2(NCS)2 where R represents CH3 or CO2H. The study investigates the number of acid groups required to successfully bind to TiO2 whilst maintaining efficient charge injection. The series consists of one acid group, two acids, two acids on adjacent bipyridines, and three acids groups. Dye uptake was studied via optical waveguide spectroscopy, providing information on dye diffusion, adsorption and desorption kinetics, and surface coverage. Interestingly, the two acid groups on adjacent ligands suggested poor/slow binding to TiO2 surface and a high degree of dye aggregation in comparison to two acid groups on the same ligand. The dye with three binding groups showed strong adsorption to TiO2 and better dye coverage, resulting in a high efficiency. The complexes were all fully characterised by electrochemistry, photoluminescence, absorption spectroscopy, DFT calculations and solar cell performance testing. To date, there has been limited exploration of copper(I) complexes as potential alternatives to ruthenium(II) sensitisers, with even fewer publications reported for Cu(I) heteroleptic species. The neutral complexes that were synthesised are of the general formula: Cu(4,4’- (R)-6,6’-(CH3)-bipyridine)(β-diketonate) and Cu(4,4’-(R)-6,6’-(CH3)-bipyridine)(dipyrrin) where R represents CH3 or CO2Et. Additional blocking groups on the ligands are introduced to minimise structural change during oxidation or MLCT excitation. Improved stability and reproducibility have been shown for complexes containing the dipyrrin ligand, likely due to better steric constraints and better π-overlap with the bipyridine. There has also been a remarkable improvement in light absorption, from 450 nm to 600 nm. In-situ solar studies have been carried out on the Cu(4,4’-(R)-6,6’-(CH3)-bipyridine)(dipyrrin) series and a 0.41% efficiency has been achieved. Computational studies supports the experimental data in which the main transition appears to be ligand centred (dipyrrin) with a small MLCT contribution.

The arrangement of soft materials through solution processing techniques is a topic of profound importance for next generation solar cells; the resulting morphology has a major influence on construction, performance and lifetime. This thesis investigates the connections between the soft matter physics of colloidal systems and solid state dye sensitised (SSDS) and bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. A study of aqueous titanium dioxide nanoparticulate suspensions was carried out in order to observe how suspension structure can be controlled by altering the inter-colloid potential via pH-induced electrostatic charging. Measurements were performed at volume fractions between 0.025% and 8.2% with the solution pH set to 3.1, 3.5 or 4.5 before mixing. Suspensions with a volume fraction above 4% formed self-supporting gels regardless of the set pre-mix pH. These gels displayed shear thinning behaviour with a power law exponent of 0.8, a yield stress of 11(1) Pa and rheological response consistent with an aggregated fractal network. At lower volume fractions, suspensions exhibited consolidation interpreted as the collapse of a gel of fractal clusters with a fractal dimension of 2.36. The velocity of the suspension/supernatant interface exhibited delayed sedimentation behaviour, as well as further fractal-based power law scalings with volume fraction. Lower volume fraction suspensions were explored using dynamic light scattering. Limited aggregation of ‘stable’ suspensions was observed when compared to primary aggregate radii measured from electron microscopy images. To connect suspension structure and cell manufacture, the behaviour of more concentrated suspensions was observed during the drying of thin films, a process which forms an essential part of a SSDS solar cell. Lowering the pH of the suspension after mixing from 4 to 3 resulted in an ordering of observed crack domains. An increase in film delamination was also observed. Rates of mass loss during drying followed the expected three phase process, although there was an unexpected increase in rate during the initial phase (where rate is usually constant in time). Dynamic light scattering was found to be a useful but demanding technique for studying cluster formation in titanium dioxide suspensions. A non-linear fitting technique utilising the method of moments was thoroughly explored using computer simulated datasets. The algorithm reduced the systematic error in fitted parameters for moderately polydisperse (0:2 < < 0:4) datasets as compared to the commonly applied linear algorithm. The fitting algorithm was also robust to bad initial estimates of parameters. Finally, test solar cells have been built using blends of titanium dioxide and poly-3-hexylthiophene. Device performance was reduced with blend standing time after mixing but could be improved by remixing the blend before spin coating, implicating a reversible process (e.g. aggregation of titanium dioxide or crystallisation of P3HT) in the loss of performance. Addition of a titanium dioxide hole blocking layer before spin coating reduced cell performance. Combining the above studies and these device designs provides a future platform for continuation of this work in the context of real devices.

DSSC est une technologie photovoltaïque de 3ème génération avec un fort potentiel économiquement et une efficacité importante de conversion des photons en électricité. Le DSSC à l'état solide à base d'électrolyte polymère solide prévient la perte et l'évaporation du solvant pendant la fabrication et le fonctionnement des cellules, ce qui prolongera efficacement la durée de vie de la cellule. Cependant, il souffre d'une faible conductivité ionique et d'une faible infiltration des pores.La présente thèse est dédiée au développement concomitant d'électrolytes polymères à base de polysiloxane d'un côté et de photoanodes TiO2 à porosité controlée de l'autre côté et leur incorporation dans des cellules solaires contrastants à l'état solide (ss-DSSC), dans le but d'améliorer leur efficacité photovoltaïque et la stabilité à long terme. À notre connaissance, les DSSC comprenant des couches de TiO2 bimodales et des électrolytes de polysiloxane n'ont jamais été rapportés.La conductivité ionique et le coefficient de diffusion des tri-iodures des liquides poly (ioniques) (PILs) à base de polysiloxane ont été largement améliorés par addition de liquides ioniques (ILs) ou de carbonate d'éthylène (EC), conduisant à des conductivités ioniques de l'ordre de 10-4 -10-3 Scm-1. Les DSSC fabriqués avec les électrolytes optimisés ont montré des rendements jusqu'à 6%, avec une stabilité à long terme pendant 250 jours.Des films de TiO2 bimodaux à double porosité (méso et macroporosité) ont été fabriqués par revêtement par centrifugation, en utilisant des modèles mous et durs. Les films à double matrice bénéficient d'une taille de pores accrue tout en maintenant une surface spécifique élevée pour l'adsorption de colorant. Les films bimodaux se sont révélés plus efficaces lorsqu'ils ont été testés avec des électrolytes polymères, ayant des efficacités comparables avec l'électrolyte liquide dans les DSSC, malgré une absorption plus faible de colorant.Cette thèse apporte une contribution significative dans le domaine des DSSC en tant que cellules solaires efficaces et stables qui ont été préparés à partir d'électrolytes polymères et de films bimodaux nouvellement synthétisés. / DSSC is a 3rd generation photovoltaic technology with potential to economically harvest and efficiently convert photons to electricity. Full solid state-DSSC based on solid polymer electrolyte prevents the solvent leaking and evaporation during cell fabrication and operation, which will effectively prolong the cell life time. However, it suffers from low ionic conductivity and poor pore infiltration.The present thesis is dedicated to the concomitant development of polysiloxane-based polymer electrolytes on one side, and TiO2 photoanodes with tuned porosity on the other side, and their incorporation in solid state dye sensitised solar cell (ss-DSSCs), with the aim to improve their photovoltaic efficiency and the long term stability. To best of our knowledge, DSSCs comprising bimodal TiO2 layers and polysiloxane electrolytes have never been reported.The ionic conductivity and tri-iodide diffusion coefficient of the polysiloxane-based poly(ionic) liquids (PILs) were largely improved by adding of ionic liquids (ILs) or ethylene carbonate (EC), achieving ionic conductivities of 10−4 -10−3 Scm−1. The DSSCs fabricated with the optimized electrolytes showed efficiencies up to 6%, with long term stability for 250 days.Bimodal TiO2 films with dual porosity (meso- and macro-porosity) were fabricated by spin-coating, by using soft and hard templating. The dual templated films benefit from increased pore size while maintaining high surface area for dye adsorption. Bimodal films were shown to be more efficient when tested with polymer electrolytes, having comparable efficiencies with liquid electrolyte when in DSSCs, despite lower dye uptake.This thesis brings a significant contribution to the field of DSSCs as efficient and stable solar cells were prepared from newly synthesized polymer electrolytes and bimodal films.

This thesis presents a mathematical model of the nanoporous anode within a dyesensitised solar cell (DSC). The main purpose of this work is to investigate interfacial charge transfer and charge transport within the porous anode of the DSC under both illuminated and non-illuminated conditions. Within the porous anode we consider many of the charge transfer reactions associated with the electrolyte species, adsorbed dye molecules and semiconductor electrons at the semiconductor-dye- electrolyte interface. Each reaction at this interface is modelled explicitly via an electrochemical equation, resulting in an interfacial model that consists of a coupled system of non-linear algebraic equations. We develop a general model framework for charge transfer at the semiconductor-dye-electrolyte interface and simplify this framework to produce a model based on the available interfacial kinetic data. We account for the charge transport mechanisms within the porous semiconductor and the electrolyte filled pores that constitute the anode of the DSC, through a one- dimensional model developed under steady-state conditions. The governing transport equations account for the diffusion and migration of charge species within the porous anode. The transport model consists of a coupled system of non-linear differential equations, and is coupled to the interfacial model via reaction terms within the mass-flux balance equations. An equivalent circuit model is developed to account for those components of the DSC not explicitly included in the mathematical model of the anode. To obtain solutions for our DSC mathematical model we develop code in FORTRAN for the numerical simulation of the governing equations. We additionally employ regular perturbation analysis to obtain analytic approximations to the solutions of the interfacial charge transfer model. These approximations facilitate a reduction in computation time for the coupled mathematical model with no significant loss of accuracy. To obtain predictions of the current generated by the cell we source kinetic and transport parameter values from the literature and from experimental measurements associated with the DSC commissioned for this study. The model solutions we obtain with these values correspond very favourably with experimental data measured from standard DSC configurations consisting of titanium dioxide porous films with iodide/triiodide redox couples within the electrolyte. The mathematical model within this thesis enables thorough investigation of the interfacial reactions and charge transport within the DSC.We investigate the effects of modified cell configurations on the efficiency of the cell by varying associated parameter values in our model. We find, given our model and the DSC configuration investigated, that the efficiency of the DSC is improved with increasing electron diffusion, decreasing internal resistances and with decreasing dark current. We conclude that transport within the electrolyte, as described by the model, appears to have no limiting effect on the current predicted by the model until large positive voltages. Additionally, we observe that the ultrafast injection from the excited dye molecules limits the interfacial reactions that affect the DSC current.