A "cyanine-cyanine" salt exhibiting photovoltaic properties.

Association between cationic and anionic heptamethine dyes led to the formation of a new organic salt (3) displaying exceptional light-harvesting properties in the NIR spectral range and having amphoteric redox character. Preliminary results of molecular bulk heterojunction solar cells based on the title compound 3 and [60]PCBM as the only active layer reveal this new dye as a promising light-harvesting material for photovoltaics.