Surface plasma resonance enhanced photocurrent generation in NiO photoanode based solar cells

•SPR effect from Au-nanostructures was first investigated in NiO-based solar cells.•Enhanced photocurrent generation was observed in p-DSC and perovskite solar cell.•Au-nanorods SPR effect induced charge kinetics were investigated.

Surface plasma resonance (SPR) effect has been demonstrated to improve solar cell performance. This work reports on the SPR effect from Au nanorod@SiO2 on p-type dye-sensitized solar cells. Au nanorod@SiO2 works as an antenna to transform photons with long wavelength into electric field followed by an enhanced excitation of dye. The devices using the NiO electrode containing Au nanorod@SiO2 shows overall power conversion efficiencies of about 0.2% in combination with I−/I3− electrolyte, and 0.29% with T−/T2 electrolyte, which are superior to those without adding Au nanorods. Detailed investigation including spectroscopy and transient photovoltage decay measurements reveals that plasma effect of Au nanorod@SiO2 contribute to charge injection efficiency, and thus on the photocurrent. The effect of Au NRs can be further extended to the inverted planar perovskite solar cells, showing obviously improvement in photocurrent.