A simple one-step heat-treatment of peroxotitanate complex aqueous solution at around 100 degrees C was resulted in the formation of ellipsoidal anatase TiO2 nanoparticles having a high aspect ratio with no branches. The length of these ellipsoidal TiO2 falls in the range of 200-350 nm, depending on mole ratio of Ti4+/H2O2. Dye-sensitized solar cell based on these ellipsoidal nanocrystalline TiO2 as photoanode was fabricated and characterized. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.