Photoelectric conversion device and method of production thereof

A method of producing a dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device which comprises at least an electron acceptive charge transfer layer, an electron donative charge transfer layer, and a light absorption layer existing between the charge transfer layers, the method comprising applying a solution containing acicular crystals on a substrate, said acicular crystals comprising a metal oxide, and firing the substrate to form a semiconductor acicular crystal layer comprising an aggregate of acicular crystals on the substrate and utilizing the semiconductor acicular crystal layer as either one of the charge transfer layers.

A method of producing a dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device which comprises at least an electron acceptive charge transfer layer, an electron donative charge transfer layer, and a light absorption layer existing between the charge transfer layers, the method comprising forming a semiconductor acicular crystal layer comprising an aggregate of acicular crystals on a substrate by a CVD process and utilizing the semiconductor acicular crystal layer as either one of the charge transfer layers, wherein the acicular crystals comprise a metal oxide.

A method of producing a dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device which comprises at least an electron acceptive charge transfer layer, an electron donative charge transfer layer, and a light absorption layer existing between the charge transfer layers, the method comprising oxidizing a surface of a substrate to form a semiconductor acicular crystal layer comprising an aggregate of acicular crystals on the substrate and utilizing the semiconductor acicular crystal layer as either one of the charge transfer layers, wherein the acicular crystals comprise a metal oxide.

A dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device comprising at least an electron acceptive charge transfer layer, an electron donative charge transfer layer, and a light absorption layer existing between the charge transfer layers, wherein either one of the charge transfer layers is a semiconductor layer comprising a mixture with two or more different morphologies or compositions and at least one of the components of the semiconductor layer is an acicular crystal comprising a metal oxide.

A method of producing a dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device which comprises at least an electron acceptive charge transfer layer, an electron donative charge transfer layer, and a light absorption layer existing between the charge transfer layers, the method comprising applying a semiconductor mixture solution comprising a semiconductor mixture with two or more different morphologies or compositions on a substrate and firing the substrate to form a semiconductor mixed crystal layer on the substrate, and utilizing the semiconductor mixed crystal layer as either one of the charge transfer layers, wherein at least one of the components of the semiconductor mixed crystal layer is an acicular crystal comprising a metal oxide.

A method of producing a dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device which comprises at least an electron acceptive charge transfer layer, an electron donative charge transfer layer, and a light absorption layer existing between the charge transfer layers, the method comprising the steps of applying a solution containing a semiconductor acicular crystal on a substrate and firing the substrate to form an acicular semiconductor crystal layer, further depositing a single substance or a mixture with a different morphology or composition from that of the acicular crystal to the semiconductor layer to form a semiconductor mixed crystal layer on the substrate, and utilizing the semiconductor mixed crystal layer as either one of the charge transfer layers, wherein the acicular crystal comprises a metal oxide.

A method of producing a dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device which comprises at least an electron acceptive charge transfer layer, an electron donative charge transfer layer, and a light absorption layer existing between the charge transfer layers, the method comprising the steps of growing an acicular crystal on a substrate, depositing to the acicular crystal a single substance or a mixture with a different morphology or composition from that of the acicular crystal to form a semiconductor mixed crystal layer on the substrate, and utilizing the semiconductor mixed crystal layer as either one of the charge transfer layers, wherein the acicular crystal comprises a metal oxide.

A dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device comprising a p-type region and an n-type region, wherein either one of the p-type region and the n-type region comprises whiskers of TiO2, ZnO or SnO2.

A dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device comprising a p-type region and an n-type region, wherein the n-type region comprises metal oxide whiskers.