Charge generation in a dye-sensitized solid-state cell under different modes of illumination

A dye-sensitized solid-state cell was fabricated by sandwiching ruthenium bypridyl complex in between porous TiO2 and CuI films. Cis-dithiocyanate-bis(2,2'-bipyridyl -4-4'-dicarboxylate) ruthenium (II) exhibited excellent performance among the dyes tested for TiO2 \ dye \ CuI cell. Different mechanisms are proposed for charge generation of the cell under different modes of illumination. A high incident photon to current conversion efficiency was observed under back wall illumination compared to that of front wall illumination. Dye molecules exhibited a relay effect under back wall mode illumination at wavelengths shorter than 400 nm. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).