Physics based simulation of dye solar cells

Dye sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are interesting candidates for providing a renewable, cost efficient energy source with low environmental impact. Although DSCs are very close to be commercialized, many issues still need to be addressed. Part of the problem is related to the lack of a reliable and consistent simulator able to catch the physics underlying the functioning of the cell. The need of a simulator and modelling tool is particularly important for the engineering of the cell and its optimization. Among the different parts composing a DSC the relevance of the semiconductor titanium oxide (TiO₂) layer can hardly be underestimated. In particular, the physics at the interface between TiO₂ and the electrolyte has a wide impact over the entire device because is the main source of recombination. We present a simulation module within the TIBERCAD software package designed for the simulation of DSCs in 1, 2 and 3 dimensions. The tool allows to study the impact of material parameters and device geometry on cell performance.