Mega-Grant Nº 14 B25.31.0020, aims at contributing to the development of intermediate band (IB) solar cells (SCs) whose efficiency limit is 63% vs. 41% for an ordinary SC. However the achievement of a practical IBSC is a big challenge.
In this Mega-Grant the IB is fabricated by mean of quantum dots (QDs) formed in a semiconductor by Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD). This method is seldom used to make QDs but is the one used to produce the highest efficiency SCs achieved so far, and is widely used in the industry. It is promising for practical IBSCs.
In this Mega-Grant, activities of quantum calculations using the approximate but fast Empiric k•p Hamiltonian, proposed by the Leading Expert, SC manufacturing by MOCVD, characterization and modeling are undertaken.