Dye-sensitized solar cells: A safe bet for the future.

This review describes the main features of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) and highlights recent breakthroughs in this promising thin-film photovoltaic (PV) technology. After a brief presentation of the commercially available technologies, the general operation principles and the most relevant characteristics of DSCs are summarized. Recent major advances in high efficiency sensitizers, nanostructured semiconductors and robust electrolytes offer an opportunity for DSCs integration into the marketplace. With attractive features, like low-cost potential, simple processing, wide range of applicability - from low-power electronics to semi-transparent windowpanes for electricity generation - and good performance under typical operating conditions, these cells are one step from large-scale commercialization. We describe major strategies that are under way to make DSCs a key technology in the future PV paradigm.