Photovoltaic devices fabricated from insulating nanostructured template

Abstract

Photovoltaic devices, such as solar cells, and methods for their manufacture are disclosed. A device may be characterized by an architecture with an inorganic insulating nanostructured template having template elements between about 1 nm and about 500 nm in diameter with a elements density of between about 10elements/mand about 10elements/m. A first charge-transfer material coats the walls of the template elements leaving behind additional space. A second charge-transfer material fills the additional space such that the first and second charge-transfer materials are volumetrically interdigitated. At least one charge transfer material has an absorbance of greater than about 10/cm. The first and second charge-transfer materials have complementary charge transfer properties with respect to each other. A lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) or conduction band of the first charge-transfer material is offset from a LUMO or conduction band of the second charge-transfer material by greater than about 0.2 eV. An electrically conductive material may optionally be disposed between the nanostructured template and the first charge-transfer material.