Zinc and copper ions were incorporated on the surface of TiO2 films via a dipping process, and the resulting films were used as the photoelectrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The DSSC with Zn2+(30)-TiO2/FTO electrode, prepared by soaking bare TiO2/FTO in a zinc nitrate solution for 30min, showed an improvement in power conversion efficiency, due to an enhancement in both open circuit voltage (V-oc) and short circuit current (J(sc)), compared to those of reference cell with bare TiO2/FTO. It was revealed that the Zn2+ incorporation on the TiO2 surface led to a retardation of the back electron transfer, inducing a prolonged electron lifetime of photo-injected electrons, and thereby increasing the V-oc and J(sc). On the contrary, the back electron transfer was scarcely delayed in the device with Zn2+(30)-TiO2/FTO electrode.