Cation effects in nanocrystalline solar cells

Over the past 20 years, the pioneering work of Michael Gratzel and coworkers has led to the development of highly efficient nanocrystalline dye-sensitized solar cells. The energy conversion mechanism of dye-sensitized solar cells involves photoinduced interfacial electron transfer reactions. The cation concentration at the semiconductor/electrolyte interface exerts a profound influence on the mechanism and efficiency of these electron transfer reactions. In this article, we review significant contributions to the understanding of cation effects in nanocrystalline solar cells. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.