Analysis of Undoped and Doped Semiconducting Photoanode Layer for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have gleaned conspicuous contemplation as strengthening divergent to traditional solar cells due to their tending cost-effectiveness and capability for efficient light harvesting. Titanium dioxide (TiO2), as photoanode, a widely used semiconductor material in DSSCs, plays a pivotal role in electron transport and charge separation processes. This study inquires into the effect of 0.1% Magnesium (Mg) doping on the photoelectric properties of TiO2 photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and undoped TiO2 serves as the reference. Both photoanode materials were fabricated by dint of hydrothermal synthesis and characterized using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Ultra-Violet (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Mg-doping significantly improves the morphology of the TiO2 photoanode, creating a better interface for the absorbing layer. Furthermore, reducing the bandgap and enhancing the absorption range of the material, potentially leading to improved light capture and enhanced conductivity and sheet carrier mobility in Mg-doped photoanode compared to undoped films. These factors contributed to a significant increase in overall DSSC efficiency and highlight the potential of Mg-doping for optimizing TiO2 photoanode in DSSCs.