Planar converters containing quantum dots as wavelength-shifting moieties on top of a multi-crystalline silicon and an amorphous silicon solar cell were studied. The highly efficient quantum dots are to shift the wavelengths where the spectral response of the solar cell is low to wavelengths where the spectral response is high, in order to improve the conversion efficiency of the solar cell. It was calculated that quantum dots with an emission at 603 nm increase the multi-crystalline solar cell short-circuit current by nearly 10%. Simulation results for planar converters on hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells show no beneficial effects, due to the high spectral response at low wavelength. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.