Molecular Acenes for Light Capture, Conversion, and Storage

Efficient photovoltaics (PV) require capturing and converting solar energy across a broad range of energy. Losses due to thermalization and sub-bandgap photons place, however, significant boundaries on the performance of solar cells. For conventional single-junction cells, the theoretical maximum power conversion efficiency is capped at 33%, a constraint known as the detailed balance limit. Realizing the full potential of PVs requires developing novel strategies to overcome this fundamental obstacle. This Account describes the photon-management capabilities of acenes and addresses these fundamental losses en-route toward enhancing PV performances.