The fabrication and characterization of InxGa(1-x)N/GaN-based solar cells that use InxGa(1-x)N multiple quantum wells (MQWs) and a SiCN/Si(111) substrate are reported. Solar cell operation with a low dark current density (J(d)), a high open-circuit voltage (V-oc), a high short-circuit current density (J(sc)), and a high fill factor (FF) is demonstrated. It was found that the proposed device and fabrication technology are applicable to the realization of solar cells with a low J(d) of 2.14 to 8.88 mu A/cm(2), a high V-oc of 2.72 to 2.92 V, a high J(sc) of 2.72 to 2.97 mA/cm(2), and a high FF of 61.51 to 74.89%. The device performance with various quantum-well configurations was investigated under an air mass 1.5 global solar spectrum. A high photovoltaic efficiency of 5.95% in the MQW sample over the p-i-n sample was observed. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.