Förster resonance energy transfer in dye-sensitized solar cells

It appears that the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) has reached a ceiling due to the limited absorption spectrum of currently available dyes. To achieve new record efficiencies, light absorption must be extended into the near-infrared region of the spectrum without sacrificing performance in the visible region. No single dye has this ability, but there is greater strength in numbers. Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) may be used to link two or more materials to provide strong absorption across a broad portion of the solar spectrum. This process has been shown to be effective and efficient, and a recent breakthrough in FRET-enhanced DSSCs is presented in this issue. This Perspective explores the background of this topic and considers directions for future development.