Supplementing the power generation of visibly transparent solar energy harvesting devices comprising organic semiconductors

A method of making visibly transparent photovoltaic device, comprising:

• providing at least one photosensitive layer having a first absorption peak between and including 350 nm and 420 nm and a second absorption peak between and including 420 nm and 780 nm;
• providing an anode configured to be in electrical communication with a first surface of the at least one photosensitive layer;
• and
• providing a cathode configured to be in electrical communication with a second surface of the at least one photosensitive layer, wherein:
• the at least one photosensitive layer comprises:
• a first photosensitive layer comprising an organic electron donor;
• and
• a second photosensitive layer comprising an organic electron acceptor, wherein the first photosensitive layer and the second photosensitive layer form in a bilayer, planar heterojunction;
• the first photosensitive layer has the first absorption peak between 350 nm and 420 nm;
• and
• the second photosensitive layer has the second absorption peak between 420 nm and 780 nm;
• or
• the first photosensitive layer has the second absorption peak between 420 nm and 780 nm;
• and
• the second photosensitive layer has the first absorption peak between 350 nm and 420 nm;
• the second absorption peak between 420 nm and 780 nm is due to dopants dispersed in the at least one photosensitive layer, the dopants comprise one or more of:
• coumarins;
• naphthalimides;
• coronenes;
• anthracenes;
• rubrenes;
• thiophenes;
• fluorenes;
• diazafluorenes;
• fluorenones;
• dicyanomethylenes;
• rhodamines, perylenebisimides;
• or bipyridines;
• the visibly transparent photovoltaic device has an average visible transmission (AVT) of between 35% and 95% of incident light having wavelengths of between 400 nm and 780 nm;
• values of CIE L*a*b* color coordinates a* and b* of the transmitted visible light are each between negative 30 and positive 30;
• and
• the visibly transparent photovoltaic device generates electrical power.