Pulse electrodeposition as a tool to enhance the penetration of cuprous iodide in dye-sensitized solid-state solar cells

The electrodeposition of cuprous iodide (CuI) within the pores of interconnected TiO2 particles has been investigated using current pulse electrodeposition and continuous current electrodeposition techniques, both in the dark and under illumination. Under illumination, the solar cells fabricated using the electrodes prepared by pulse electrodeposition, provide a collection efficiency of 3.28% with N-719 dye, whereas those prepared by continuous electrodeposition give only 0.75% efficiency, both in the absence of triehylammine hydrothiocyanate (THT, a crystal growth inhibiter) and under simulated AM 1.5 illumination. The CuI films were also grown by combining pulse electrodeposition (without THT) with drop-by-drop solution casting (with THT). The cells prepared by these electrodes give an even higher collection efficiency of 3.85%, as compared with the 3.38% efficiency of films prepared by only solution casting CuI in the presence of THT. This is the first report of the use of pulse electrodeposition to prepare CuI for dye-sensitized solid-state solar cells.