Synthesis and photovoltaic properties of organic sensitizers containing electron-deficient and electron-rich fused thiophene for dye-sensitized solar cells

Diverse fused thiophenes with electron-rich and electron-deficient blocks have been synthesized and employed as the π-conjugated spacers of organic dyes for the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The effects of these fused thiophenes were investigated by their absorption spectra, electrochemical and photovoltaic properties. For a typical device a maximum power conversion efficiency of 6.11% was obtained under simulated AM 1.5 irradiation (100 mW cm−2): a short-circuit current (JSC) of 14.47 mA cm−2, an open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 670 mV, and a fill factor (FF) of 0.63.