ABSTRACT
Nanostructure assemblies provide novel opportunities in the design of next generation’s solar cell [5.1, 5.2]. The high porosity of mesoscopic oxide fi lms which enables the incorporation of sensitizing dyes in large concentrations has facilitated the development of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) and the construction of solar panels [5.3-5.6]. Although most of the dye sensitization work centers around nanostructured TiO2 fi lms modifi ed with a ruthenium polypyridyl complex, numerous studies have focused on utilizing semiconductor oxide substrates other than TiO2. For example, because of the low-lying conduction band (ECB = 0 V vs. NHE), SnO2 can capture electrons from many of the sensitizers that are generally unable to sensitize TiO2 semiconductors (ECB = −0.5 V vs. NHE). SnO2 and ZnO fi lms have been used by numerous researchers to demonstrate several salient features of the dye sensitization process. A few aspects of dye sensitization of SnO2 and other oxide semiconductors are discussed in this chapter.
