Dye-sensitized solar cells based on a donor-functionalized spiro-perylenecarboximide

A donor-functionalized spiro-perylenecarboximide (metal-free dye), which contains a perylene tetracarboxylic-derivative and a diphenylamine chromophore, is used as sensitizer for liquid electrolyte and solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells. The corresponding devices generate efficiencies up to 1.72% for electrolyte-based solar cells and 0.2% for solid-state device solar cells measured under illumination with simulated sunlight AM 1.5 (100 mW cm−2). The incident photon to current conversion efficiency reached 63.7% and 7% for liquid electrolyte and solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells, respectively. The intramolecular charge transfer occurring by through-space charge transfer process between the donor and the perylene dye moiety in the corresponding compound plays an important role in the solar cells performance. We also measure the performance of the parent compound, which contains only the perylene tetracarboxylic-derivative chromophore, and, however, the performance is lower than the donor-functionalized spiro-perylenecarboximide.