course-details-portlet

TMT4322

Solar Cells and Photovoltaic Nanostructures

Choose study year
Credits 7.5
Level Second degree level
Course start Spring 2012
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction English and norwegian
Examination arrangement Written examination

About

About the course

Course content

Electronic structure of semiconductors and nanostructured materials. Carrier statistics and transport. Optical processes. Recombination. Charge separation in Schottky barriers and pn-junctions. Characteristics in dark and under illumination. Loss mechanisms and efficiency in pn-junction cells. Thin-film cells. Amorphous solar cells.Charge separation in nanostructured materials. Dye-sensitized solar cells. Photovoltaic effect in organic and carbon-based systems. Quantum wells, superlattices, relaxation of hot electrons and holes, multiple-exciton generation. Tandem solar cells and intermediate-band solar cells.

Learning outcome

The course emphasizes charge separation upon photon absorption as the central process in photovoltaic devices, and will give the student an overview of mechanisms for charge separation in conventional and nanostructured materials. The student shall also be able to perform quantitative calculations associated with these processes.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and problem sets. If there is a re-sit examination, the examination form may be changed from written to oral.

Course materials

Course materials will be given upon course startup.

Subject areas

  • Materials Science and Engineering
  • Technological subjects

Contact information

Course coordinator

  • Svein Sunde

Lecturers

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Materials Science and Engineering