Photoelectric conversion device and photo cell

• US 6,291,763 B1
• Filed: 04/05/2000
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAMOND, ALAN D
• Application Number:
  US09/543,339
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 136/256, 136/263, 136/252, 429/111, 250/200, 257/431
• US Class Current: 136/256
• CPC Class Codes: C09B 23/0066 the polymethine chain being part of a carbocyclic ring,(e.g. benzene, naphtalene, cyclohexene, cyclobutenene-quadratic acid)
• CPC Class Codes: C09B 47/00 Porphines; Azaporphines non-dyeing compounds C07D487/22
• CPC Class Codes: C09B 57/007 Squaraine dyes
• CPC Class Codes: C09B 57/10 Metal complexes of organic compounds not being dyes in uncomplexed form
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2009 Solid electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2022 characterized by he counter electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2031 comprising titanium oxide, e.g. TiO2 H01G9/2036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2059 comprising an organic dye as the active light absorbing material, e.g. adsorbed on an electrode or dissolved in solution
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/2077 Sealing arrangements, e.g. to prevent the leakage of the electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/83 comprising arrangements for extracting the current from the cell, e.g. metal finger grid systems to reduce the serial resistance of transparent electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/542 Dye sensitized solar cells

Abstract

A photoelectric conversion device comprising an electrically conductive substrate, a photosensitive semiconductor layer, a charge transporting layer, and a counter electrode (preferably a counter electrode having a porous electron-conducting layer), wherein an electrically insulating spacing layer is provided between the semiconductor layer and the counter electrode, and a photo cell having the device. High conversion efficiency is obtained without causing an internal shortage.

Claims

1. A photoelectric conversion device comprising at least a photosensitive semiconductor layer, a charge transporting layer, and a counter electrode, wherein an electrically insulating spacing layer is provided between said semiconductor layer and said counter electrode, said spacing layer having a thickness of 0.05 to 5 μ

m and comprising a material having an electrical conductivity of 1×

10<sup>−

6</sup> Siemens/cm or less.

2. The photoelectric conversion device as in claim 1, wherein said spacing layer is provided in contact with said photosensitive semiconductor layer.

3. The photoelectric conversion device as in claim 1, wherein said spacing layer is a porous layer comprising electrically insulating particles bound together.

4. The photoelectric conversion device as in claim 3, wherein said electrically insulating particles comprise an oxide of at least one element selected from aluminum, silicon, boron, and phosphorus.

5. The photoelectric conversion device as in claim 3, wherein said electrically insulating particles comprise an organic polymer.

6. The photoelectric conversion device as in claim 1, wherein said counter electrode has a porous electron-conducting layer.

7. The photoelectric conversion device as in claim 6, wherein said porous electron-conducting layer is in contact with said spacing layer.

8. The photoelectric conversion device as in claim 6, wherein said porous electron-conducting layer comprises electrically conductive particles bound together.

9. The photoelectric conversion device as in claim 8, wherein said electrically conductive particles are platinum black particles or carbon particles having platinum supported thereon.

10. The photoelectric conversion device as in claim 6, wherein said counter electrode comprises an electrically conductive substrate having provided thereon said porous electron-conducting layer.

11. The photoelectric conversion device as in claim 1, wherein said photosensitive semiconductor layer comprises titanium dioxide.

12. The photoelectric conversion device as in claim 1, wherein said photosensitive semiconductor layer is sensitized with a dye.

13. The photoelectric conversion device as in claim 1, wherein said charge transporting layer contains a molten salt.

14. A photo cell having a photoelectric device comprising at least a photosensitive semiconductor layer, a charge transporting layer, and a counter electrode, wherein an electrically insulating spacing is provided between said semiconductor layer and said counter electrode, said spacing layer having a thickness of 0.05 to 5 μ

m and comprising a material having an electrical conductivity of 1×

10<sup>−

6</sup> Siemens/cm or less.

15. The photo cell as in claim 14, wherein said counter electrode has a porous electron-conducting layer.