Enhancement of photovoltaic performance of TiO2-based dye-sensitized solar cells by doping Ca3La3(1−x)Eu3x(BO3)5

A series of Ca3La3(1−x)Eu3x(BO3)5 (CLBO:3xEu3+) phosphors were prepared by the Pechini-type sol–gel technique. Rietveld refinement was performed using the powder X-ray diffraction data, which shows the occupation of Eu3+ on both Ca2+ and La3+ sites with a preferred location on the La3+ site over the Ca2+ site. In order to enhance the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), a novel design is demonstrated by introducing CLBO:3xEu3+ in TiO2-based DSSC. As a new conversion luminescence medium, CLBO:3xEu3+ transfers ultraviolet light to visible light via down-conversion, and increases the solar light harvest and photocurrent of DSSC. The experimental results reveal the feasibility of the conversion luminescence by doping rare-earth phosphors in the DSSC, providing an effective novel method to improve the sunlight conversion efficiency for solar cells.