Simple dyes for sensitized solar cells based on hexahydrocyclopentaindole: influence of structure on the photophysical properties of cells

Dyes of various structural complexity, based on the fragments of 4-(2-ethylhexyl)-1,2,3,3a,4,8b-hexahydrocyclopenta[b]indole and cyanoacrylic acid, were obtained. Solar cells sensitized with these dyes were developed, and their key photophysical characteristics were determined. The power conversion efficiency reached 4.64% for the most optimal devices based on a dye with an average structural complexity containing donor and acceptor fragments linked via a thiophene bridge. This value is comparable to the values obtained in the case of solar cells based on dyes of more complex structural types.