Provided herein are dyes, dye-sensitized solar cells, and sequential series multijunction dye-sensitized solar cell devices. The dyes include an electron deficient acceptor moiety, a medium electron density ?-bridge moiety, and an electron rich donor moiety comprising a biaryl, a substituted biaryl, or an R1, R2, R3 substituted phenyl where each of R1, R2, and R3 independently comprises H, aryl, multiaryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, alkyl substituted multiaryl, alkoxy substituted multiaryl, OR4, N(R5)2, or a combination thereof; each R4 independently comprises H, alkyl, aryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, or a combination thereof; and each R5 independently comprises aryl, multiaryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, alkyl substituted multiaryl, alkoxy substituted multiaryl, or a combination thereof. The solar cells include a glass substrate, a dye-sensitized active layer, and a redox shuttle. The devices include at least two dye-sensitized solar cells connected in series. ##STR00001##

Described are visible light absorbing compounds. The compounds have a visible light absorption maximum between 430 and 480 nm and a full width half maximum (FWHM) at the visible light absorption maximum of at least 35 nm and up to 150 nanometers, wherein the compounds are photostable. The compounds are also thermally stable. The compounds substantially mimic the visible light absorbance properties of macular pigment while remaining photostable and thermally stable. The compounds may be used in a variety of articles, including ophthalmic devices.

Provided herein are dyes, dye-sensitized solar cells, and sequential series multijunction dye-sensitized solar cell devices. The dyes include an electron deficient acceptor moiety, a medium electron density ?-bridge moiety, and an electron rich donor moiety comprising a biaryl, a substituted biaryl, or an R1, R2, R3 substituted phenyl where each of R1, R2, and R3 independently comprises H, aryl, multiaryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, alkyl substituted multiaryl, alkoxy substituted multiaryl, OR4, N(R5)2, or a combination thereof; each R4 independently comprises H, alkyl, aryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, or a combination thereof; and each R5 independently comprises aryl, multiaryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, alkyl substituted multiaryl, alkoxy substituted multiaryl, or a combination thereof. The solar cells include a glass substrate, a dye-sensitized active layer, and a redox shuttle. The devices include at least two dye-sensitized solar cells connected in series.

An organic dye corresponding to one of the following structures (I) or (II): eD-pi-conjugated chromophore-L-A (I), or A-L-pi-conjugated chromophore-eD (II), where eD represents an electron donor segment, L represents a covalent bond or a spacer segment and in particular a pi-conjugated spacer segment, A represents an electron acceptor segment capable of forming a covalent bond with a semiconductor, in which the pi-conjugated chromophore comprises at least one unit of formula (III): ##STR00001##
in which the radicals R1 and R2, which are identical or different, represent an optionally substituted aryl group; the radicals R3 to R8, which are identical or different, represent a hydrogen, an optionally substituted alkyl group or an optionally substituted aryl group; and X1 and X2, which are identical or different, are chosen from S, Se and O.

A method of quenching excited state energy from a photodegradable pigment that has been excited by absorption of light having a wavelength in the wavelength range of 290-800 nm, comprising reacting a pigment with a conjugated fused tricyclic compound having electron withdrawing groups of Formula (II) or a salt thereof: ##STR00001## wherein: A is selected from the group consisting of O, S, CO, CS, ##STR00002## B.sup.1, B.sup.2, D.sup.1 and D.sup.2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, I, CF.sub.3, CC13, NR33+, NO2, CN, C(O)R4, C(O)OR, SO2R5, aryl, and CCHR6; each m independently is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4; a is 0 or 1; each R is independently selected from the group consisting of LI, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, and aryl; R.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, and aryl; each R.sup.3 is independently selected from the group consisting of H and C.sub.1-C.sub.6 alkyl; each R.sup.4 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, and aryl; each R.sup.5 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, O, OH, NH.sub.2, and Cl; and each R.sup.6 is-independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, and aryl.

An organic dye corresponding to one of the following structures (I) or (II): eD-pi-conjugated chromophore-L-A (I), or A-L-pi-conjugated chromophore-eD (II), where eD represents an electron donor segment, L represents a covalent bond or a spacer segment and in particular a pi-conjugated spacer segment, A represents an electron acceptor segment capable of forming a covalent bond with a semiconductor, in which the pi-conjugated chromophore comprises at least one unit of formula (III):

##STR00001##

in which the radicals R1 and R2, which are identical or different, represent an optionally substituted aryl group; the radicals R3 to R8, which are identical or different, represent a hydrogen, an optionally substituted alkyl group or an optionally substituted aryl group; and X1 and X2, which are identical or different, are chosen from S, Se and O.

A method of quenching excited state energy from a photodegradable pigment that has been excited by absorption of light having a wavelength in the wavelength range of 290-800 nm, comprising reacting a pigment with a conjugated fused tricyclic compound having electron withdrawing groups of Formula (II) or a salt thereof:

##STR00001## wherein: A is selected from the group consisting of O, S, CO, CS,

##STR00002## B.sup.1, B.sup.2, D.sup.1 and D.sup.2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, I, CF.sub.3, CC13, NR33+, NO2, CN, C(=0)R4, C(O)OR, SO2R5, aryl, and CCHR6; each m independently is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4; a is 0 or 1; each R is independently selected from the group consisting of LI, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, and aryl; R.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, and aryl; each R.sup.3 is independently selected from the group consisting of H and C.sub.1-C.sub.6 alkyl; each R.sup.4 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, and aryl; each R.sup.5 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, O, OH, NH.sub.2, and Cl; and each R.sup.6 is-independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, and aryl.

To provide a photoelectric conversion element being excellent in photoelectric conversion efficiency and stability of photoelectric conversion function, a method for producing the photoelectric conversion element, and a solar cell using the photoelectric conversion element. A photoelectric conversion element having a substrate, a first electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer containing a semiconductor and a sensitizing pigment, a hole transport layer having a conductive polymer, and a second electrode, wherein the hole transport layer is formed by bringing the photoelectric conversion layer into contact with a solution containing a conductive polymer precursor and an oxidizer at a ratio of 0.1<[Ox]/[M] (wherein [Ox] is the molar concentration of the oxidizer; and [M] is the molar concentration of the conductive polymer precursor), and irradiating the photoelectric conversion layer with light.

A photoelectric conversion element, a photoelectric conversion element, a dye-sensitized solar cell and a dye solution, having an electrically conductive support, a photoconductor layer containing an electrolyte, a charge transfer layer containing an electrolyte, and a counter electrode, wherein the photoconductor layer contains semiconductor fine particles carrying a metal complex dye; and wherein the metal complex dye has at least a carboxyl group and a salt of the carboxyl group, the salt being selected from the group consisting of a potassium salt, a lithium salt, and a cesium salt, and the ratio of the number of the salt of the carboxyl group divided by the total number of the carboxyl group and the salt of the carboxyl group to be found in one molecule of the metal complex dye, lying in the range of 0.1 to 0.9.

A method of quenching excited state energy from a pigment that has been excited by absorption of light having a wavelength in the wavelength range of 290-800 nm, comprising reacting a pigment with a conjugated fused tricyclic compound having electron withdrawing groups: of Formula (II) or a salt thereof: ##STR00001## wherein: A is selected from the group consisting of O, S, CO, CS, ##STR00002##
and ##STR00003## B.sup.1, B.sup.2, D.sup.1, and D.sup.2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, I, CF.sub.3, CCl.sub.3, NR.sup.3.sub.3.sup.+, NO.sub.2, CN, C(O)R.sup.4, C(O)OR.sup.1, SO.sub.2R.sup.5, aryl, and CCHR.sup.6; each m independently is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4; n is 0 or 1; each R.sup.1 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, and aryl; R.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, and aryl; each R.sup.3 is independently selected from the group consisting of H and C.sub.1-C.sub.6 alkyl; each R.sup.4 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, and aryl; each R.sup.5 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, O.sup., OH, NH.sub.2, and Cl; and, each R.sup.6 is independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, and aryl.