Carbon microspheres (CSs) were successfully fabricated and used as counter electrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). CSs were obtained through a fast microwave-assisted approach using sucrose as the precursor in a microwave system and subsequent thermal treatment at 600, 800 and 1000 degrees C. A maximum photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 5.5% is achieved for DSSCs based on the CSs counter electrodes, which is comparable to the cell based on conventional Pt counter electrode at one sun (AM 1.5 G, 100 mW cm(-2)). The results suggest the CSs to be a potential candidate for counter electrodes of DSSCs. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.