A review of the emerging technologies in solar cells: Dye-sensitized solar cells and quantum dot-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

In the current energy crisis, more efficient and clean energy sources are needed to help move the primary energy source away from fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are one of the main contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and are shown to be unsustainable. Efforts have been made in many fields surrounding renewable energy sources, with wind power, hydropower, and nuclear power being the well-known ones. Solar power is another field that has shown tremendous promise in being a clean, renewable energy source. Dye-sensitized solar cells(DSSCs) and quantum dot-sensitized solar cells(QDSSCs) have significantly advanced over the past 30 years. They are showing great potential as the production cost for DSSCs drops and the efficiency of QDSSCs rises with every passing year. This article shows the primary working mechanism of the two solar cells, compares them, and discusses their prospect of them.