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Low Cost and Efficient Photovoltaic Conversion by Nanocrystalline Solar Cells
Author(s) -
Grätzel Michael
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
chemie ingenieur technik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.365
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1522-2640
pISSN - 0009-286X
DOI - 10.1002/cite.330671006
Subject(s) - photovoltaic system , materials science , nanocrystalline material , hybrid solar cell , solar cell , absorption (acoustics) , optoelectronics , solar energy , semiconductor , nanotechnology , engineering physics , polymer solar cell , electrical engineering , physics , engineering , composite material
Solar cells are expected to provide environmentally friendly solutions to the worlds energy supply problem. Learning from the concepts used by green plants we have developed a molecular photovoltaic device whose overall efficiency for AM 1.5 solar light to electricity has already attained 10 %. The system is based on the sensitization of nanocrystalline oxide films by transition metal charge transfer sensitizers. In analogy to photosynthesis, the chemical solar cell achieves the separation of the light absorption and charge carrier transport processes. Extraordinary yields for the conversion of incident photons into electric current are obtained, exceeding 90% for transition metal complexes within the wave‐length range of their absorption band. The use of molten salt electrolytes together with coordination complexes of ruthenium as sensitizers has endowed these cells with a remarkable stability making practical applications feasible. Quite aside from their intrinsic merits as photovoltaic device, the mesoscopic oxide semiconductor films developed in our laboratory offer attractive possibilities for a number Of Other applications. Thus, the first example of a briefly discussed.