The proof of principle of the successful application of spray deposition to the SILAR (successive ionic layer absorption and reaction) technique, one of the most effective strategies to sensitized TiO2 scaffold with QDs, is demonstrated. Systematically improved optical features of the materials (higher optical density together with reduced nanocrystal sizes) as well as of the functional performances of QD solar cells (photoconversion efficiency, fill factor, short circuit current, open circuit voltage) sensitized via SD-SILAR, with respect to traditional SILAR sensitization based on impregnation, are demonstrated. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.