The application of a series of thiophene-conjugated indoline dyes for zinc oxide solar cells, prepared by the one-step cathode deposition template method, was examined. The introduction of thiophene ring(s) into D131-type indoline dye improved the cell performance due to their appropriate energy levels and bathochromic shift in the UV-vis absorption band on zinc oxide. It is important for the oxidation potential (Eox) of dyes to have a more positive value than ca. 0.25 V vs. Fc/Fc+ in acetonitrile in order to show a high (>70%) incident photon-to-current efficiency.