Recent advances in applications of merocyanine dye as sensitizers in solar cells

Solar cells based on a dye as a sensitizer have compelling importance in the field of energy conversion. New developments in this rapidly expanding area are continuously appearing in literature based on dye as a sensitizer for the new type of solar cells with improved efficiency. Therefore, the current review is focused on a different aspect of solar cells and studies to evaluate their efficiencies in harvesting solar energy. The review summarizes stepwise advancements in the solar cell with a merocyanine as sensitizer from the point of origin to the current status. Various attempts to improve the efficiency of solar cells using merocyanine derivatives as sensitizers including the use of natural as well as synthetic dyes and their different substitutes have been discussed. Besides, review have also included the use of nanomaterials with merocyanine dyes to improve the efficiency of solar cells. So here, we have summarized all types of solar cell parameters and their role in energy conversion. • The advancement in DSSCs developed using merocyanine dyes as sensitizers has been highlighted. • The effect of substituent on light harvesting abilities on merocyanine dyes has been reviewed and discussed. • Various designs of DSSCs and electrode materials used with merocyanine dyes have been discussed. • The effect of structure and substituent on merocyanine dyes has been correlated with the efficiency of the DSSCs.