title: Near-infrared sunlight harvesting in dye-sensitized solar cells via the insertion of an upconverter-TiO₂ nanocomposite layer.
abstract: Er(3+),Yb(3+) co-doped LaF₃-TiO₂ nanocomposites (UC-TiO₂) are inserted as a middle layer in a novel tri-layer photoanode design (see Figure) of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The Er(3+),Yb(3+) co-doped LaF₃ part of the nanocomposite helps capture near-infrared (NIR) light by converting it into visible light absorbable by the dye hence opening the road for the development of DSSCs with higher conversion efficiency and photocurrent output.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B2, Canada.
authors.forename: Guo-Bin
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: George P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Demopoulos
mesh_terms: D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D007259:Infrared Rays; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D012993:Solar Energy; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; C009495:titanium dioxide; D014025:Titanium