An overview on the spectrum of sensitizers: The heart of Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

The development of hybrid solar cells such as Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) opens up a new generation of thin film solar cells with high performance to cost ratio. They are expected to be one of the most economically viable energy devices, owing to the potential for realization of flexible and light weight, thin film photovoltaic devices with moderate efficiencies and good processability in non-vacuum settings. Sensitizers form the heart of DSSC since they trigger and maintain the electron transfer processes in a photo electro chemical system by absorbing solar radiation. This review focuses on recent advances in sensitizers developed/explored elsewhere. A comprehensive analysis of the performance of various light absorbing sensitizers based on their chemical structure, geometry and stereo chemistry is attempted. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd.