Solar energy conversion is today a fact. Traditionally dominated by crystalline silicone, new alternative technologies are emerging, in particular based on organic photovoltaics (OPV), hybrid solar cells (dye-sensitized solar cells) or new inorganic materials such as perovskites and nanomaterials. The efficiency of a photo-active material depends on the charge separation process that is itself largely dependent on the structural properties of the material. Charge carriers can be trapped and other competing non-radiative relaxation processes may decrease the efficiency. The initial processes preceding the charge separation are studied in DICO using time-resolved spectroscopy.
This topic is being developed in two directions :