Abstract: In a photoelectric conversion element, a conductive layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a counter electrode are disposed, and at least the photoelectric conversion layer is filled with an electrolyte. In the photoelectric conversion layer, at least one of a dye formed of a compound having one thiocyanate group and a dye formed of a compound not having a thiocyanate group is adsorbed onto a porous semiconductor layer formed of a semiconductor material. The electrolyte includes at least one of pyrazole and a pyrazole derivative.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element includes an optically transparent support, a porous semiconductor layer containing fine semiconductor particles and a photosensitizer, a conductive layer, and a counter electrode provided in that order, each of the porous semiconductor layer and the conductive layer contains a carrier-transport material. The porous semiconductor layer includes at least two layers each containing fine semiconductor particles having different particle sizes. The fine semiconductor particles contained in a layer of the layers located closest to the counter electrode, the layers constituting the porous semiconductor layer, have an average particle size of 380 nm or less.

Abstract: A wet-type solar battery including a support composed of a light transmissive material and a stack in which a conductive layer, a photoelectric conversion layer containing a porous semiconductor, a porous insulating layer, and a counter electrode conductive layer are stacked in this order is provided. The conductive layer is divided into a first region including a portion where the photoelectric conversion layer is to be formed on a surface thereof and a second region where the photoelectric conversion layer is not to be formed. A protection film for preventing internal short-circuiting, which is not greater in film thickness than the photoelectric conversion layer, is formed in at least a part around the photoelectric conversion layer on the surface of the first region.

Abstract: A paste containing a silica polymer, made by substituting at least some of the surface functional groups thereof with alkyl groups, and solvent-removable inorganic particles is prepared, and the paste is applied and fired to form a transparent insulating film in a dye-sensitized solar cell.

Abstract: A wet-type solar cell includes a support composed of a light transmissive material and a photoelectric conversion element having a conductive layer, a photoelectric conversion layer including a porous semiconductor layer, a porous insulating layer, and a counter electrode conductive layer successively provided on the support. A first region where the photoelectric conversion layer is provided on the conductive layer and a second region where the photoelectric conversion layer is not provided on the conductive layer are present, with a scribe line portion formed by not providing the conductive layer on the support lying therebetween. The counter electrode conductive layer extends from the first region to the second region over the scribe line portion, and the scribe line portion has a line width not smaller than 70 ?m.

Abstract: A dye-sensitized solar cell module comprising: a plurality of electrically series-connected solar cells having a first conductive layer formed on an insulating substrate; a photoelectric conversion device formed on the first conductive layer; and a second conductive layer formed on the photoelectric conversion device, wherein the photoelectric conversion device has a photoelectric conversion layer having a porous semiconductor layer adsorbing a dye, a carrier transporting layer and a catalyst layer and the dye-sensitized solar cell module is characterized in that the second conductive layer of the above-described one solar cell contacts the first conductive layer of an adjacent another solar cell and the photoelectric conversion device of the above-described adjacent another solar cell contacts the second conductive layer of the above-described one solar cell.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element includes an optically transparent support, a porous semiconductor layer containing a photosensitizer, a conductive layer, and a counter electrode provided in that order, each of the porous semiconductor layer and the conductive layer containing an electrolytic solution. The photoelectric conversion element has an interfacial resistance Rs of 0.6 ?·cm2 or less, the interfacial resistance Rs being measured by an alternating current impedance method.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element includes an optically transparent support, a porous semiconductor layer containing fine semiconductor particles and a photosensitizer, a conductive layer, and a counter electrode provided in that order, each of the porous semiconductor layer and the conductive layer contains a carrier-transport material. The porous semiconductor layer includes at least two layers each containing fine semiconductor particles having different particle sizes. The fine semiconductor particles contained in a layer of the layers located closest to the counter electrode, the layers constituting the porous semiconductor layer, have an average particle size of 380 nm or less.

Abstract: There are provided a photoelectric conversion element and a photoelectric conversion element module including the photoelectric conversion element, the photoelectric conversion element including a transparent substrate, a transparent conductive layer arranged on the transparent substrate, a photoelectric conversion layer arranged on the transparent conductive layer, a porous insulating layer arranged in contact with the photoelectric conversion layer, a reflective layer arranged in contact with the porous insulating layer, and a catalyst layer and a counter conductive layer that are arranged on the reflective layer, in which the photoelectric conversion layer contains a porous semiconductor, a carrier-transport material, and a photosensitizer, and in which the area of the orthogonal projection of the porous insulating layer onto the transparent substrate and the area of the orthogonal projection of the reflective layer onto the transparent substrate are each larger than the area of the orthogonal projection o

Abstract: A photoelectrode has a conductive substrate and a semiconductor layer formed on the conductive substrate, the semiconductor layer being formed of semiconductor particles, the semiconductor layer having a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers being different in an average particle diameter of semiconductor particles from one another, a distal layer of the plurality of layers, placed at a location farther from the substrate, covering at least a part of side faces of a proximal layer of the plurality of layers, placed at a location closer to the substrate.

Abstract: A wet-type solar battery including a support composed of a light transmissive material and a stack in which a conductive layer, a photoelectric conversion layer containing a porous semiconductor, a porous insulating layer, and a counter electrode conductive layer are stacked in this order is provided. The conductive layer is divided into a first region including a portion where the photoelectric conversion layer is to be formed on a surface thereof and a second region where the photoelectric conversion layer is not to be formed. A protection film for preventing internal short-circuiting, which is not greater in film thickness than the photoelectric conversion layer, is formed in at least a part around the photoelectric conversion layer on the surface of the first region.

Abstract: A solar cell includes a light transmissive substrate, a supporting substrate, a photoelectric conversion part and a counter electrode disposed between the light transmissive substrate and the supporting substrate in such a manner that they are spaced from each other; an electrolyte part disposed between the light transmissive substrate and the supporting substrate while being in contact with the photoelectric conversion part and the counter electrode, and a sealing part that surrounds and seals the electrolyte part in such a manner that the electrolyte part is retained within an electrolyte disposition region. First openings that make the electrolyte part communicate with the outside are provided at least in one end part in the electrolyte disposition region, and at least one second opening that makes the electrolyte part communicate with the outside is provided in the middle part in the electrolyte disposition region. The first and second openings are sealed.

Abstract: A dye-sensitized solar cell module which is characterized by providing a pair of opposed substrates 10 and 17 in which at least one of the substrates is transparent and a plurality of conductive layers 11 and 18 are formed in parallel with one another on the each opposed surface of the substrates, a plurality of adjacent photoelectric conversion devices 1a and 1b formed in a state of being electrically connected in series between the pair of conductive substrates 11 and 17, and insulating layers 16 formed between the adjacent photoelectric conversion devices 1a and 1b, wherein the photoelectric conversion devices 1a and 1b have a porous semiconductor layer 12 adsorbing a dye, an electrolyte layer 13 and a catalyst layer 14 and the insulating layer 16 is formed by dividing into two or more times in the direction of a substrate thickness.

Abstract: A wet solar cell includes a substrate having a light-receiving surface, a seal portion disposed opposite to the substrate, a first electrode formed on the top surface of a side of the substrate that is opposite to the seal portion, an insulating frame disposed between the first electrode and the seal portion to surround four sides so that a space is formed inside the insulating frame, a photoelectric conversion portion formed on a top surface of the first electrode, and a second electrode formed to extend toward the seal portion from a top surface of another first electrode adjacent to the first electrode and having a top surface partially located opposite to the seal portion. In the space, a gap communicating with the portion between the insulating frame and the photoelectric conversion portion is formed between the second electrode and the seal portion.

Abstract: The present invention aims to improve the photoelectric current of a dye-sensitized solar cell module and produce a high power dye-sensitized solar cell. The present invention provides a dye-sensitized solar cell module comprising at least two photoelectric conversion elements each comprising a transparent conductive layer, a porous photoelectric conversion layer adsorbing a dye, an electrolytic layer, a catalyst layer, and a conductive layer on a transparent substrate, wherein the respective photoelectric conversion elements are different in at least one among the layering order of the respective layers composing the photoelectric conversion elements; the type and composition of the materials for the respective layers; the particle diameter in the case the materials of the respective layers are granular; the thickness and width of the respective layers; the form of the respective layers; and the open circuit voltage of the photoelectric conversion elements, and thereby the aim is achieved.

Abstract: A porous electrode of the present invention is a porous electrode in which at least a first porous layer, an intermediate layer and a second porous layer are stacked on a substrate in this order, characterized in that the first porous layer and the second porous layer are formed of particles of the same material, and the first porous layer and the intermediate layer are formed of particles of different materials from each other. Preferably, the average particle diameter of the particles constituting the first porous layer differ in average particle diameter from the particles constituting the second porous layer.

Abstract: A dye-sensitized solar cell comprising at least a catalyst layer; a porous insulating layer containing an electrolyte in the inside; a porous semiconductor layer adsorbing a sensitizing dye and containing an electrolyte in the inside; and a second conductive layer laminated on a first conductive layer, wherein a contact face between the porous insulating layer or the porous semiconductor layer and the catalyst layer or the second conductive layer laminated adjacent to each other has an uneven form with a surface roughness coefficient Ra in a range of 0.05 to 0.3 ?m.

Abstract: A paste containing a silica polymer, made by substituting at least some of the surface functional groups thereof with alkyl groups, and solvent-removable inorganic particles is prepared, and the paste is applied and fired to form a transparent insulating film in a dye-sensitized solar cell.

Abstract: A photosensitized solar cell characterized in that at least a catalyst layer 3, a porous insulating layer 4 internally containing an electrolyte, a porous semiconductor layer 6 with a photosensitizer adsorbed thereon, internally containing the electrolyte, and a translucent cover member 7 are laminated in this order on a conductive substrate.

Abstract: A dye-sensitized solar cell comprising a first support, a first conductive layer, a porous photovoltaic layer containing a dye, a carrier transport layer and a second conductive layer stacked in this order, wherein the length of contact side of the porous photovoltaic layer closed to the first conductive layer is different from that of its confronted side of the porous photovoltaic layer.