Photovoltaic quantum efficiency enhancement by light harvesting of organo-lanthanide complexes

An increase of about 1% of the delivered power by a mono-crystalline commercial silicon solar cell has been obtained by coating the cell with an active poly-vinylacetate film doped with a light harvesting phenanthroline-Eu3+ complex. The dopant absorbs the UV component of the solar spectrum, where the silicon-based cells are almost blind, and emits red light that can be converted with an efficiency close to the maximum. This effect, achieved by a low cost encapsulation process, has been proven for the case of Air Mass 0 lighting conditions, and could be exploited also for terrestrial applications with the proper choice of the organic ligand.