Nanometer scale carbon structures for charge-transfer systems and photovoltaic applications.

This article surveys and highlights the integration of nanometer scale carbon structures--in combination with chromophores that exhibit (i) significant absorption cross section throughout the visible part of the solar spectrum and (ii) good electron donating power--into novel electron donor-acceptor conjugates (i.e., covalent) and hybrids (i.e., non-covalent). The focus of this article is predominantly on performance features--charge-transfer and photovoltaic--of the most promising solar energy conversion systems. Besides documenting fundamental advantages as they emerge around nanometer scale carbon structures, critical evaluations of the most recent developments in the fields are provided.