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Improved light harvest in diffraction grating-embedded TiO2 nanoparticle film

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Abstract

We show that a high-efficiency diffraction grating can be embedded into nanoparticulate TiO2 film via imprinting combined with TiCl4 treatment. The grating-embedded film consists of two layers in intimate contact. A thin TiO2 layer was first patterned on a glass substrate by imprinting. The patterned layer was TiCl4-treated with a higher concentration than the over-coated thicker layer, so that it diffracts incident light as a refractive-index grating. Gratings with a period scaled down to 1 µm could be embedded into the film. Diffraction efficiency increased with an increasing grating height and an efficiency over 80% was achieved in the near-ultraviolet and visible range. Dye-sensitized solar cells fabricated using a grating-embedded TiO2 photoanode exhibited much better photovoltaic performance than those without a grating. It was also found that the incorporation of a diffraction grating greatly enhances the photocatalytic activity of nanoparticulate TiO2 film. All these are attributed to improved light harvest.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (no: NRF-2015R1D1A1A09058787).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, 134 Sinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-749, South Korea

    Jeeyoung Lee & Myeongkyu Lee

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  1. Jeeyoung Lee
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  2. Myeongkyu Lee
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Correspondence to Myeongkyu Lee.

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Lee, J., Lee, M. Improved light harvest in diffraction grating-embedded TiO2 nanoparticle film. Appl. Phys. A 123, 737 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-017-1368-5

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