TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The phosphate is in a phosphorus dioxide or phosphorus trioxide form. The metal oxide layer is formed using a paste composition comprising a metal oxide, a solution of a binder in a solvent and a phosphate group-containing compound. The phosphate group-containing compound is a phosphoric acid, sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, trisodium phosphate, disodium phosphate, ammonium phosphates, and/or phosphonic acid compounds of formulae (1a) and (HO2-P(O)-(CO-(CH2)5-O)l-X) and a phosphinoyl compound of formula (R1-P(O)(R2)-R3), preferably 1-(dioctyl-phosphinoyl)-octane, tetradecyl-phosphonic acid, phosphoric acid mono-(2-(2-(4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-butyl)-phenoxy)-ethoxy)-ethyl) ester, phosphoric acid mono-(2-(2-(2-(2-(2-(4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-butyl)-phenoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethyl) ester, phosphoric acid mono-(2-(2-(2-(2-(2-(2-(2-(2-(2-(2-(4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-butyl)-phenoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethyl) ester, and phosphoric acid mono-(2-(2-(2-(2-(2-(2-(2-(2-(2-(4-nonyl-phenoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethyl) ester. The metal oxide is titanium oxide, niobium oxide, hafnium oxide, indium oxide, tungsten oxide, tin oxide, and/or zinc oxide. The metal oxide is a nanomaterial comprising quantum dots, nanodots, nanotubes, nanowires, nanobelts, or nanoparticles. The paste composition comprises: 10-40 wt.% of metal oxide; 1-10 wt.% of phosphate group-containing compound with respect to the weight of the metal oxide powder, and the balance of the binder solution.R = 1-30C alkyl;k, l = 1-20;X = oxyethyl methacryloyl, oxyethyl acryloyl, polyoxypropyl methacryloyl or polyoxyethyl methacryloyl group; andR1-R3 = OH, ONa or 1-30C alkyl, provided that at least one of R1-R3 is 1-30C alkyl.Preferred Process: The forming step comprises contacting the paste composition with the transparent electrode, and baking the paste composition. The baking is performed at 400-600degreesC. The process further comprises drying the paste composition before baking, where drying is performed at 50-100degreesC. Preferred Composition: The semiconductor electrode further comprises a dye formed on top of the metal oxide layer.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The solvent is aqueous solvents and/or organic solvents, preferably aromatic hydrocarbon compounds including toluene and xylene, ether compounds including tetrahydrofuran and 1,2-butoxyethane, ketone compounds including acetone and methyl ethyl ketone, ester compounds including ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, butyl carbitol acetate and propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, alcohol compounds including isopropyl alcohol, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, terpineol and 2-phenoxyethanol, and/or water.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The binder is aqueous binders and/or organic binders, preferably acrylic polymers, styrenic polymers, cellulosic polymers, methacrylate polymers, styrene-acrylate copolymers, polystyrene, polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene oxide, polypropylene carbonate, polymethylmethacrylate, ammonium acrylate, gum arabic and/or gelatin.