Fluorine-Doped Tin Oxide Thin Films with High Surface Conductance and Low Transparency for Boosting Performance in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Applications

Abstract

Transparent conductive oxide films, like fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), are needed for electrochemical devices. FTO films are attractive due to their cost-effectiveness and high-temperature tolerance. Generally, solar cell fabrication requires high transmittance and low-conductivity FTOs. However, achieving both simultaneously poses a fundamental challenge. This study investigates the impact of FTO layer thickness, sheet resistance, transparency, and film morphology on optimizing the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells. To achieve this, a precursor solution containing SnCl 4 •5H 2 O and NH 4 F in isopropanol is sprayed onto a soda-lime glass substrate at 500 °C to form FTO films. The film thickness is varied by repeating the spray cycles. By increasing the number of spray cycles, the sheet resistance of the FTO film improves to ∼1.20 Ω □ −1 with the expense of transmittance. The achieved very low sheet resistance of ∼1 Ω □ −1 (∼3.54 × 10 −4 ) Ω cm resistivity for the FTO film confirms the promise of this sequential spray pyrolysis technique in preparing highly conductive inert electrodes for various applications. Furthermore, DSCs with low transparency and sheet resistance showed higher-energy conversion efficiencies, challenging the current prerequisite of the requirement of high transmittance. The best efficiency (5.14%) is achieved with FTO films having a 34.2% transmittance and a 3.27 Ω □ −1 sheet resistance, outperforming standard FTO films (4.74%) with a 10 Ω □ −1 sheet resistance and an ∼83% transmittance. The results indicate that the transparency of FTO is not a dominant factor and carefully controlled light scattering and electrical properties in translucent FTO films would lead to the realization of dye-sensitized solar cells that deliver superior efficiency.

Enhancing Organic Photodetector Performance Based on PBDB-T/ITIC and GO: A SCAPS-1D Simulation Study

“…The device is composed of multiple layers, each serving a specific function to optimize performance. At the top is the FTO (Transparent Conducting Oxide) layer, which acts as the transparent anode, allowing light to enter the device [34]. Below the FTO layer is the PFN:Br (ETL) layer, which functions as the electron transport layer, facilitating the transport of electrons to the external circuit.…”

Vacancy-Rich SnO2 Quantum Dot Stabilized by Polyoxomolybdate as Electrocatalyst for Selective NH3 Production

“…Although colloid nanoparticles are thermodynamically stable due to spontaneous solution-state agglomeration, aggregation leads to loss of nanoscopic features and sometimes activity . The high electrochemical performance of SnO 2 appears after fine-tuning the particle size or selective doping of heteroatoms like fluorine. − The synthesis of SnO 2 nanoparticles often requires high temperature, an organic tin precursor, and a protecting ligand. To achieve a fair activity, removal of the organic ligand via high-temperature pyrolysis is necessary .…”