## 1 Introduction
The diverse array of ZnO growth morphologies, including nanocombs, nanohikes, nanorings, nanon springs, nanowires, nanobelts, and nanocages, renders ZnO a highly functional material [12, 13, 14]. ZnO has emerged as a promising material not only for DSSCs but also for various other applications, including photocatalytic processes [15]. In photocatalysis, ZnO efficiently utilizes visible light to degrade organic pollutants and mineralize them in water [15, 16]. Additionally, ZnO exhibited the potential to be used in processes like carbon monoxide oxidation, methanol steam reforming, and hydrogen evolution [17]. Various methods are employed for synthesizing thin films of zinc oxide, including co-precipitation [15, 18], electrophoresis [19], ultrasonic techniques [20], and spray deposition [21]. Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) has emerged as a low-cost and efficient method that operates at room temperature. In an EPD electrochemical cell, deposition occurs as charged solution particles of the electrolyte flow toward an electrode with an opposite charge (positive or negative). This flow is induced by an external voltage source, allowing for easy adjustment of parameters such as voltage and deposition time [22]. It is a method widely used for thin films; [PERSON] et al. [23] deposited thin film membranes of tetragonal Li\({}_{2}\)La\({}_{3}\)Zr\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{12}\) for use in batteries. [PERSON] et al. [19], electrodeposited zinc oxide at 30, 40, and 50 V for application on DSSCs; [PERSON] et al. [24], deposited organic thin films by EPD, achieving a power conversion efficiency of 25%. [PERSON] et al. [25] fabricated nanostructured zirconia thin films with the EPD methodology, obtaining a current density of 1.08 A/cm\({}^{2}\). [PERSON] et al. [26], developed a simple EPD method for MoSe\({}_{2}\) nanosheets/carbon cloth electrodes. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [27] completed anodic electrophoretic deposition of Bi\({}_{2}\)WO\({}_{6}\) thin films with high photocatalytic activity and a film thickness of 627 nm. [PERSON] et al. [28] used electrophoretic deposition to fabricate thin film membranes of BaCeO\({}_{3}\) and CeO\({}_{2}\) for anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells. [PERSON] et al. [29] electrodeposited transparent thin films of Sb\({}_{2}\)S\({}_{3}\). For solar cells, [PERSON]. [PERSON] et al. [30] electrodeposited TiO\({}_{2}\) on DSSCs. [PERSON] [31] performed EPD using CdSe-TiO\({}_{2}\) nanocomposites for quantum dot solar cells; [PERSON] [32] also used EPD for graphene oxide on DSSCs. The use of EPD with ZnO has not been widely explored. This method has been primarily applied with other materials, as mentioned above. Consequently, the authors employed a simple EPD method with ZnO for DSSCs, a combination that has not been extensively reported in the literature in recent years. [PERSON] al. [33] utilized electrophoretically coated zinc oxide for biomedical purposes at low voltages. In this work, we investigated the use of high voltages, ranging between 60 and 80 V, a practice not commonly reported in the literature. The applied voltage, along with the deposition time, significantly influences the coating's thickness and band gap. These factors are essential for the application of photovoltaic devices. This study involved the deposition of thin zinc oxide films, varying both voltage and deposition time to evaluate their impact on the optical properties of the oxide. Subsequently, these films were utilized as electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells to investigate how changes in voltage and deposition time could influence the photovoltaic performance of the cell. This work aims to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the electrophoretic deposition of ZnO, particularly when applied to DSSCs. This involves analyzing and comparing the voltage and time parameters specifically for zinc oxide.