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Nature Nanotechnology 3, 257–258 (1 May 2008) | doi:10.1038/nnano.2008.124

Photochemistry: Let there be light |[mdash]| but not too much

Dirk M. Guldi

It is hoped that artificial photosynthetic systems will one day be able to harness some of the energy in sunlight for applications such as solar energy, optoelectronics and molecular machines. For this to happen, however, these systems must be able to harvest the light, separate the electrons and 'holes' formed when the light is absorbed, and then transport these charges to places where they are needed (which for plants are the catalytic sites where the oxidation of water and reduction of carbon dioxide occur).