A general model to describe the operation of intermediate band solar cells (IBSCs), incorporating a significant number of physical effects such as radiative coupling between bands, and impact ionization and Auger recombination mechanisms, is presented in equivalent circuit form. The model is applied to IBSC prototypes fabricated from InAs quantum dots structures to determine the value of the circuit elements involved. The analysis shows evidence of splitting between the conduction and intermediate band quasi-Fermi levels, one of the fundamental working hypotheses on which operation of the IBSC depends. The model is also used to discuss the limitations and potential of this type of cell.

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We report current-voltage and spectral response characteristics of high density InAs/GaAs quantum dot (QD) solar cells with different positions where dots are located. The short circuit current density (Jsc), open circuit voltage (Voc), and external quantum efficiency of these cells under air mass 1.5 are presented and compared with a GaAs reference cell. An extended photoresponse in contrast to the GaAs reference cell was confirmed for all these cells. The effect of inserting QD layers into emitter and base region on device performance is shown. The Jsc is reduced, while the Voc is maintained. The cell with QDs located toward the base side shows better performance, confirmed by both current-voltage and spectral response measurements.

We report high density quantum dots (QDs) formation with optimized growth temperature and V/III ratio. At lower growth temperature, QD density is increased, due to smaller surface migration length of In adatoms. With higher V/III, the QD density is higher but it results in large clusters formation and decreases the QD uniformity. The QD solar cell was fabricated and examined. An extended spectral response in contrast to the GaAs reference cell was presented but the external quantum efficiency at energies higher than GaAs band gap is reduced, resulting from the degradation for the emitter above the strained QD layers.

The intermediate band solar cell is a novel solar cell with the potential of achieving a limiting efficiency of 63.2 % on the basis of the absorption of two sub-bandgap photons to create one electron-hole pair. The path towards its practical implementation has started following three strategies: a) Engineering the IB material through quantum dot technology b) Direct synthesis of the IB material and c) creation of a localized absorber layer within a highly porous large bandgap semiconductor.