This proposal aims at developing, studying the physical properties, and fabricating solar cell devices based on novel hybrid semiconductors. These new hybrids will combine the electronic properties of colloidal semiconducting nanocrystrals (nanorods) with those of semiconducting organic molecules. Semiconducting nanocrystals are confined systems and therefore are usually not good building blocks for electrical devices. The solution proposed by this ERC project to turn them into efficient components for optoelectronics devices is to build a functional interface between nanocrystals using organic molecules. This will allow extracting charge carriers from these confined systems by means of different physical phenomena including multiple exciton generation. The proposal thus aims to carry out fundamental research as an important step towards making solar cells an economically viable alternative source of energy.The execution of this highly challenging investigation will be based on multidisciplinary expertise in physics, device physics, and physical chemistry and delivered through three well defined, interconnected and targeted key objectives. i) The creation of a fully functional interface for semiconducting nanorods for the extraction of charge carriers; ii) the first fundamental investigation of multiple exciton generation with direct electrical measurement of the photo-excited carriers in these new hybrids based on nanorods; iii) the use of the new hybrid materials for the fabrication of highly efficient low cost solar cells.The applicant is well-established in this field, and has already achieved major breakthroughs in the design, study and fabrication of organic-inorganic hybrids. With the strong support of the Host Institution, she is in a perfect position to deliver on the ambitious goals of this proposal.