In the quantum dot implementation of an intermediate band solar cell presented in this thesis, the offset of the intermediate band with respect to the conduction band is approximated by the ground state energy of a single electron in a single quantum dot heterojunction. The ground state energy is calculated with the radial Schrodinger equation with a Hamiltonian whose potential is composed from the step-like conduction band offset of the quantum dot heterojunction and the 1/r electrostatic potential of the hydrogenic impurity. The position of the intermediate band is tuned by adjusting the radius of the quantum dots. By assuming that the centrally located impurities are ionized, the location of the Fermi energy is guaranteed to be within the intermediate band. An intermediate band solar cell contains three bands: a conduction band, a valence band; and an intermediate band. The addition of an intermediate band augments the photogeneration of carriers. These additional carriers allow for an increased theoretical efficiency as compared to a conventional homojunction solar cell. The challenges in implementing an intermediate band solar cell involve centering the intermediate band at an energy level matched to the solar spectrum and aligning the Fermi energy within the intermediate band. The latter is necessary to ensure both a supply of electrons capable of photon induced transition to the conduction band as well as a large population of holes that allow photon induced electrons to transition from the valence band to the intermediate band. This thesis presents a novel material system, InPAs quantum dots enveloped in AlGaAs barriers grown on GaAs substrates, with which to implement an optimized QD-IBSC. This novel material system is selected based upon a refined set of design rules that include a requirement that the quantum dot/barrier pair offer a negligible valence band offset. With such a design rule the existence of hole levels is avoided, thus reducing bandgap narrowing at the valence band edge and the existence of minibands below the intermediate band.

Ce travail s’intéresse aux cellules solaires multi-transitions. Deux semiconducteurs à niveaux subbandgap : un highly mismatched alloy, le GaAsPN, et un absorbeur à boites quantiques. Les états subbandgap permettent de modifier l’énergie de gap ou de créer une bande intermédiaire au milieu du gap. En premier lieu, une introduction de la cellule solaire par l’étude de luminescence est présentée. Des liens entre luminescence et propriétés électriques sont établis, et les limites thermodynamiques de l’efficacité des dispositifs multi-transitions sont explicitées. Enfin, une méthode optique de caractérisation des cellules solaires est démontrée. La première partie expérimentale de la thèse est dédiée au développement d’une top cell en GaAsPN en accord de maille avec une bottom cell en Silicium. Des simulations numériques ont mis en évidence les difficultés à surmonter pour ce type de matériau. La dynamique des porteurs a été étudiée par photoluminescence en régime permanent et résolue en temps. Ces mesures ont mis en évidence que les absorbeurs crûs souffraient d’états fortement localisés, majoritairement dus à des clusters d’azote. Ces états nous ont permis en revanche d’étudier les propriétés de bande intermédiaire de cet alliage. Enfin, une méthode optique de caractérisation, adaptée aux IBSCs et à la mise en évidence des deux mécanismes clés de ce concept (two-step two-photon absorption et la préservation de la tension). Cette méthode a été appliquée à deux candidats pour les IBSCs, un absorbeur à multi-puits quantiques et un à boîtes quantiques. Les résultats montrent que l’absorbeur à boîtes quantiques présente un comportement compatible avec les IBSCs. / This thesis deals with the multi-transition solar cells by studying two subband gap localised states materials: one highly mismatched alloy, GaAsPN, and one multi-stacked quantum dots heterostructure. These subband gap states give the possibility to tune the band gap energy or create two photon transitions inside a single the absorber. In a first part, a radiance based introduction of the solar cell is presented. Links between radiances and electrical properties are pointed out. From this analysis, the thermodynamic limits of the single and multiple transition solar cells are derived and key mechanisms for multi-transition solar cells are identified. A universal optical characterisation method for probing electrical properties of solar cells is displayed. The first experimental part of this thesis was dedicated to the development of a GaAsPN based pin top cell lattice matched with a Silicon bottom cell. Numerical simulations have been carried out. Carrier dynamics has been studied by steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence, with the conclusion that the GaAsPN we grew still suffer from multiple strongly localised states below the band gap, mainly due to N-clusters. Finally, we have taken advantages of the strong carrier localisation for a use as an intermediate band solar cell. Eventually, a quantitative optical characterisation method was developed in order to evaluate the potential of an absorber as an IBSC. The two key processes, the two-step two-photon absorption and the voltage preservation, can be widely investigate through it. This method has been applied to two IBSC candidates, a MQW and a MSQD absorbers. The MSQD cell have shown IB compatibility.