Low-Light Energy Harvesting Beyond Silicon: Role of Boron-Doped TiO₂ Photoanodes in DSSCS
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Keywords:
Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCS), Boron-Doped Tio₂, Photoanode Engineering, Low-Light Performance, Illumination-Dependent Response, Silicon Sensor ComparisonAbstract
Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are promising photovoltaic devices due to their low cost,
ease of fabrication, and superior performance under low-light conditions. In this study, DSSCs employing
pristine TiO₂ and boron-doped TiO₂ photoanodes were fabricated and their photovoltaic performance was
systematically investigated. The devices were evaluated under standard solar illumination as well as
under varying light intensities and compared with a commercial silicon (Si) photodetector. Current
voltage (J–V) characteristics and illumination-dependent response measurements were used to assess
device behavior. The pristine TiO₂-based DSSC achieved a power conversion efficiency of 8.81%, while
the boron-doped TiO₂-based device exhibited an efficiency of 6.46%. Although boron doping led to a
reduction in overall efficiency under standard illumination, the boron-doped TiO₂ photoanode
demonstrated a competitive voltage response and enhanced sensitivity under low-light conditions.
Compared to the Si sensor, both DSSC-based devices exhibited significantly higher output signals at low
illumination levels, highlighting their suitability for indoor and low-intensity light harvesting
applications. The results provide insight into the role of boron doping in TiO₂ photoanodes and
demonstrate the advantages of DSSCs over conventional Si-based photodetectors in low-light
environments.
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References
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