Abstract: The present invention relates to a solar cell (1a) comprising a stack of porous layers, a support substrate (2) for supporting the stack, and a charge conducting medium (7) penetrating through the porous layers. The stack comprises a porous light-absorbing layer (3), a porous first conductive layer (4) including conductive material for extracting photo-generated 5 electrons from the light-absorbing layer, a porous counter electrode (6) including conductive material, and a separating layer (5) made of porous electrically insulating material and arranged between the conductive layer (4) and the counter electrode (6), and where the conductive layer (4) is arranged closer to the light-absorbing layer (3) than the counter electrode (6). The support substrate (2) is porous, and the charge conducting medium (7) is penetrating through the support substrate (2).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a photovoltaic device (1a) comprising a solar cell unit (2a) including a working electrode comprising a light-absorbing layer (3), a counter electrode including a porous conductive layer (6), and a conducting medium for transferring charges between the counter electrode and the working electrode, and a conductor (7) electrically connected to the porous conductive layer (6). The solar cell unit (2a) comprises at least one adhering layer (8) arranged between the conductor (7) and the porous conductive layer (6) for attaching the conductor to the porous conductive layer. The adhering layer (8) comprises an adhesive and conducting particles distributed in the adhesive so that a conducting network is formed in the adhesive.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a working electrode (1a) for a photovoltaic device, comprising a light absorbing layer (3) and a conductive layer (6) arranged in electrical contact with the light absorbing layer (3), and the light absorbing layer (3) comprises a light absorbing photovoltaic material consisting of a plurality of dye molecules. The light absorbing layer (3) is formed by a layer of a plurality of clusters (7), whereby each cluster (7) is formed by dye molecules and each dye molecule in the cluster (7) is bonded to its adjacent dye molecules.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a photovoltaic device (1). The device comprises a solar cell unit (2) comprising a porous light-absorbing layer (3) at a top side (2a), of a porous first conducting layer (4), a porous substrate (5) of an insulating material. The solar cell unit comprises a conducting medium. The photovoltaic device comprises a first conductor (7) in electrical contact with the first conducting layer (4), a second conductor (8) in electrical contact with the second conducting layer (6), and an encapsulation (9) encapsulating the solar cell unit. The encapsulation comprises a top sheet (9a) and a bottom sheet (9b). The first and second conductors (7, 8) are arranged between the encapsulation (9) and the solar cell unit (2) at the bottom side (2b) of the solar cell unit (2).

Abstract: A solar cell includes a porous light absorbing layer, a first porous conducting layer, a second conducting layer, a porous substrate between the conducting layers, the porous substrate includes a catalytic conducting portion in electrical contact with the second conducting layer and an insulating portion between the first porous conducting layer and the conducting portion, and a conducting medium for transporting charges between the conducting portion and the light absorbing layer. The conducting medium is located in the light absorbing layer, the first porous conducting layer, and partly the porous substrate so that the insulating portion and a first part of the conducting portion has the conducting medium and a second part of the conducting portion is free of conducting medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) comprising a porous isolating substrate (30) having a first surface and a second surface, a first porous layer (14) comprising conducting particles printed on the first surface of the porous isolating substrate to form a conductive porous layer, a second porous layer (16) comprising conducting particles printed on the second surface of the porous isolating substrate to form a conductive porous layer, whereby the porous isolating substrate is disposed between the first and second porous layers, a third porous layer (18) comprising light absorbing dye molecules deposited on the first porous layer, and a charge transfer medium for transferring charges between the third and first porous layers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solar cell and a method of producing the same. The solar cell comprises a porous light absorbing layer (1), a first porous conducting layer (2), a second conducting layer (3), a porous substrate (4) between the conducting layers, the porous substrate comprises a catalytic conducting portion (4a) in electrical contact with the second conducting layer and an insulating portion (4b) between the first porous conducting layer (2) and the conducting portion, and a conducting medium (5) for transporting charges between the conducting portion (4a) and the light absorbing layer (1). The conducting medium is located in the light absorbing layer (1), the first porous conducting layer (2), and partly the porous substrate (4) so that the insulating portion (4b) and a first part (4a?) of the conducting portion (4a) comprises the conducting medium and a second part (4a?) of the conducting portion is free of conducting medium.

Abstract: A dye-sensitized solar cell having a porous conductive powder layer, which layer is formed by deposition of a deposit comprising metal hydride particles onto a substrate; heating the deposit in a subsequent heating step in order to decompose the metal hydride particles to metal particles; and sinter said metal particles for forming a porous conductive powder layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a photovoltaic device comprising: —forming a porous first conducting layer on one side of a porous insulating substrate, —coating the first conducting layer with a layer of grains of a doped semiconducting material to form a structure, —performing a first heat treatment of the structure to bond the grains to the first conducting layer, —forming electrically insulating layers on surfaces of the first conducting layer, —forming a second conducting layer on an opposite side of the porous insulating substrate, —applying a charge conducting material onto the surfaces of the grains, inside pores of the first conducting layer, and inside pores of the insulating substrate, and—electrically connecting the charge conducting material to the second conducting layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a photovoltaic device (10) comprising: a first conducting layer (16), a second conducting layer electrically insulated from the first conducting layer, a porous substrate (20) made of an insulating material arranged between the first and second conducting layers, a light absorbing layer (1) comprising a plurality of grains (2) of a doped semiconducting material disposed on the first conducting layer (16) so that the grains are in electrical and physical contact with the first conducting layer, and a charge conductor (3) made of a charge conducting material partly covering the grains and arranged to penetrate through the first conducting layer (16) and the porous substrate such that a plurality of continuous paths (22) of charge conducting material is formed from the surface of the grains (2) to the second conducting layer (18), wherein the first conducting layer (16) comprises a conducting material, an oxide layer (28) formed on the surface of conducting material, and an insul

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a photovoltaic device comprising: forming a porous first conducting layer on one side of a porous insulating substrate, coating the first conducting layer with a layer of grains of a doped semiconducting material to form a structure, performing a first heat treatment of the structure to bond the grains to the first conducting layer, forming electrically insulating layers on surfaces of the first conducting layer, forming a second conducting layer on an opposite side of the porous insulating substrate, applying a charge conducting material onto the surfaces of the grains, inside pores of the first conducting layer, and inside pores of the insulating substrate, and electrically connecting the charge conducting material to the second conducting layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a light absorbing layer (1a) for a photovoltaic device, comprising a plurality of grains (2) of a doped semiconducting material and a charge conductor (3) made of a charge conducting material in physical contact with the grains. The grains are partly covered with the charge conductor (3) so that a plurality of junctions (4) are formed between the grains and the charge conductor. The present invention also relates to a photovoltaic device comprising the light absorbing layer (1a).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dye-sensitized solar cell including a light absorbing layer (1), a first conducting layer (2) for extracting photo-generated electrons from the light absorbing layer, a counter electrode including a second conducting layer (3), a porous insulating layer (5b) disposed between the first and second conducting layers, and a conducting medium for transferring charges between the counter electrode and the working electrode. The solar cell further comprises a third conducting layer (6b) disposed between the porous insulating layer (5b) and the second conducting layer (3) and in electrical contact with the second conducting layer, and the third conducting layer includes a porous substrate (8) made of an insulating material and conducting particles accommodated in the pores of the porous substrate and forming a conducting network (9) through the insulating material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dye-sensitized solar cell unit (1?) comprising a working electrode comprising a light-absorbing layer (10), a porous first conducting layer (12?) for extracting photo-generated electrons from the light-absorbing layer (10), wherein the light-absorbing layer (10) is arranged on top of the first conducting layer (12?), a porous insulating layer (105c) made of an insulating material, wherein the porous first conducting layer (12?) is arranged on top of the porous insulating layer (105c). The dye-sensitized solar cell unit (1?) further comprises a counter electrode comprising a second conducting layer (16) including conducting material, and a porous third conducting layer (106c) disposed between the porous insulating layer (105c) and the second conducting layer (16), and in electrical contact with the second conducting layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solar cell and a method for manufacturing thereof. The solar cell comprises a porous insulating substrate (2), a first porous conducting layer (4) and a second porous conducting layer (6) disposed on opposite sides of the porous insulating substrate, a light absorbing layer (8) in electrical contact with the first conducting layer, and an electrolyte integrally positioned through the porous conductive layers, the porous insulating substrate and the light absorbing layer to transfer charge carriers between the second conducting layer and the light absorbing layer. The light absorbing layer (8) comprises a plurality of grains (10) of a doped semiconducting material.

Abstract: The present invention features a solar-to-electric energy conversion device based on a light absorbing electrode coupled to a one-dimensional nanoparticle based photonic crystal. The function of the latter is to localize the incident light within the electrode thus enhancing the optical absorption and the power conversion efficiency of the so called dye-sensitized and organic (polymer based or hybrids) cell. The photonic crystal comprises alternating layers possessing different index of refraction and can be easily integrated into the cell.

Abstract: A dye-sensitized solar cell module (1) has at least two dye-sensitized solar cell units (2a-c) arranged adjacent each other and connected in series. Each dye-sensitized solar cell module has a porous insulating substrate (7), a first porous conducting layer (4) formed on one side of the porous insulating substrate (7) and a second porous conducting layer (5) formed on an opposite side of the porous insulating substrate (7). A series connecting element (6) penetrates through the porous insulating substrate (7) and extends between the first porous conducting layer (4) of one of the cell units and the second porous conducting layer (5) of the adjacent cell unit. Each of the cell units is surrounded by an ion barrier (12) in the form of a non-porous layer penetrating through the porous insulating substrate (7) to prevent the electrolyte from leaking to an adjacent cell unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dye-sensitized solar cell including a working electrode (1), a first conducting layer (3) for extracting photo-generated electrons from the working electrode, a porous insulation substrate (4) made of a microfibers, wherein the first conducting layer is a porous conducting layer formed on one side of the porous insulation substrate, a counter electrode including a second conducting layer (2) arranged on the opposite side of the porous substrate, and electrolyte for transferring electrons from the counter electrode to the working electrode. The porous insulation substrate comprises a layer (5) of woven microfibers and a layer (6) of non-woven microfibers disposed on the layer of woven microfibers. The present invention also relates to a method for producing a dye-sensitized solar cell.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dye-sensitized solar cell including a working electrode (1), a first conducting layer (3) for extracting photo-generated electrons from the working electrode, a porous insulation substrate (4) made of a microfibers, wherein the first conducting layer is a porous conducting layer formed on one side of the porous insulation substrate, a counter electrode including a second conducting layer (2) arranged on the opposite side of the porous substrate, and electrolyte for transferring electrons from the counter electrode to the working electrode. The porous insulation substrate comprises a layer (5) of woven microfibers and a layer (6) of non-woven microfibers disposed on the layer of woven microfibers. The present invention also relates to a method for producing a dye-sensitized solar cell.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dye-sensitized solar cell including a light absorbing layer (1), a first conducting layer (2) for extracting photo-generated electrons from the light absorbing layer, a counter electrode including a second conducting layer (3), a porous insulating layer (5b) disposed between the first and second conducting layers, and a conducting medium for transferring charges between the counter electrode and the working electrode. The solar cell further comprises a third conducting layer (6b) disposed between the porous insulating layer (5b) and the second conducting layer (3) and in electrical contact with the second conducting layer, and the third conducting layer includes a porous substrate (8) made of an insulating material and conducting particles accommodated in the pores of the porous substrate and forming a conducting network (9) through the insulating material.