Experimental and theoretical studies on improving the efficiency of ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells using single-layer anti-reflective coating

The effect of a single-layer anti-reflective coating (ARC) on ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is theoretically predicted and verified by experimental fabrication. By the transfer matrix method (TMM), the absorption of the DSSC with and without the single-layer ARC is calculated and the improvement in short-circuit current density (AJsc%) is estimated. The optimized thickness of the ARC required to obtain maximum improvement in the short-circuit current density (AJsc%) is determined. By employing ARC with the calculated optimized thickness, the fabrication of spin-coated ZnO-based DSSCs is carried out. The structural and optical parameters are studied using XRD analysis and UV absorption spectra. The efficiency of the DSSC with and without the ARC is measured by intensity-modulated photocurrent and photovoltage spectroscopy. The theoretically predicted efficiency of the DSSC with and without ARC agrees well with the experimental values that provide insights about improving the electrical performance of the DSSC by the ARC.