Here we report a 3-dimensional dye-sensitized solar cell (3D-DSSCs) and module simulating the fractal structure of the pine tree for capturing sunlight. Compared to traditional flat solar cells, this type of solar cell exhibits superiority of absorbing sunlight from all directions. The fabricated 3D-DSSC and module have achieved 3.36% and 3.19% efficiencies, respectively. The results show that the shade has little effect on the performance of 3D-DSSC and module. it is expected that this 3D-DSSC and module have strong potential for practical application due to their 3D light utilization. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.