Rational Design of Solar Cells for Efficient Solar Energy Conversion

2Cosensitization Strategies for Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

Gachumale Saritha¹, Sambandam Anandan¹, and Muthupandian Ashokkumar²

¹ Nanomaterials and Solar Energy Conversion Laboratory, National Institute of Technology, India

² School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Australia

2.1 Introduction

Increasing energy demand on a global stratum leads to extensive research focused on renewable energy sources. In addition, the depletion of fossil fuel‐based energy sources and the undesirable environmental impacts of using them have created a greater need for renewable energy sources [1]. Photovoltaic cells are one of the renewable energy systems studied, as they convert the light energy into electrical energy. A photovoltaic cell or solar cell is a device based on the photovoltaic effect, discovered by French physicist Edmond Becquerel in 1839, and it has been the basis for different concepts of converting solar radiation into electricity [2].

Solar cell technologies are traditionally divided into three generation types [3, 4]. First generation solar cells are mainly based on crystalline silicon devices, whereas second generation solar cells based on the thin film solar cells consist of inorganic materials such as amorphous silicon (a‐Si), cadmium telluride (CdTe), copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), and others [5, 6]. The first two generation solar cells have achieved an efficiency of >20%, although the materials used are very expensive, which hampers large‐scale production ...