Nanoscale Polystyrene Bead Self Assembly for Hierarchical Ordered Photonic Structures for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells
Undergraduates: Maryam Kazemzadeh-Atoufi, Taylor Moot, Cary Tippets
Faculty Advisor: Jim Cahoon
Department: Physics & Astronomy
Improving the efficiency of solar cells is vital for easing and accelerating the transition from coal sources to sustainable energy. Here, we investigate using a high surface area, hierarchical ordered photocathode structure in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). We propose that appropriately sized multilayered ordered structures will simultaneously increase overall transmittance and surface area, thus increasing the short circuit current (Jsc). Preliminary results utilize a polystyrene bead self-assembly template to form inverse opal films. Initial optical properties show increased transmittance with a strong green reflection which has translated to small improvements in Jsc and curvature changes in the incident photon to current efficiency spectra in lead titanate photocathode devices.