Electrodeposition of dye-doped titania thin films

We extend our novel low- voltage electrochemical method for oxide thin film formation from sol- gel monomers to include entrapment of organic molecules within the films. We also describe an extension of the method to titania thin films, which are obtained from titanium tetra- n- propoxide in alcoholic solutions by applying potentials in the range of + 2.0 to - 1.4 V to indium tin oxide electrodes. The film thickness ( ranging between 20 - 1000 nm) is controllable by changing either the potential or the duration of its application. We demonstrate that this electrochemical method provides a convenient way for entrapment of organic dopants within the film. Four dyes were used for that purpose: Basic Blue 41, methylene- blue, tris( 2,2 '- bipyridine) iron( II) and tris( 2,2 '-bipyridine) ruthenium( II).