Dye-sensitized solar cell based on a three-dimensional photonic crystal.

We present a material assembly route for the manufacture of dye-sensitized solar cells, coupling a high-surface mesoporous layer to a three-dimensional photonic crystal (PC). Material synthesis aided by self-assembly on two length scales provided electrical and pore connectivity at the mesoporous and the microporous level. This construct allows effective dye sensitization, electrolyte infiltration, and charge collection from both the mesoporous and the PC layers, opening up additional parameter space for effective light management by harvesting PC-induced resonances.