FYS5210 – Solar cells
Course description
Course content
The course provides an introduction to how solar cells work, their structure, and how they are produced.
Solar cells are semiconductor-based devices that convert the energy from light photons directly into electricity. The course covers the most central topics in modern solar cell technology and is suitable as part of the theoretical foundation for a master’s degree or as continuing education.
Learning outcome
After completing the course, you will be able to:
- describe the principles of how solar cells work, with a focus on optical excitation of charge carriers, drift, diffusion of electrons and holes, recombination, and charge carrier statistics.
- explain the theoretical efficiency limitations for single and multi-junction solar cells.
- discuss the design, modeling, and optimization of solar cells.
- describe how solar cells are produced and how they are characterized.
- evaluate the use of solar cells for electricity production on a large and medium scale.
Admission to the course
Students admitted at UiO must?apply for courses?in Studentweb. Students enrolled in other Master's Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.
Nordic citizens and applicants residing in the Nordic countries may?apply to take this course as a single course student.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about?admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.
Recommended previous knowledge
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with TEK5310 – Solar Cells.
Teaching
The course is offered as a self study
Four mandatory assignments (roughly one per month) in the form of short written reports on given topics must be approved before you can sit for the final exam.
Examination
- Final oral exam which counts 100 % towards the final?grade.
This course has mandatory exercises that must be approved before you can sit the final?exam.
Examination support material
No examination support material is allowed.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F?is a fail. Read more about?the grading system.
Resit an examination
Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are offered a?postponed exam?at the beginning of the next semester.
New examinations?are offered at the beginning of the next semester for students who do not successfully complete the exam during the previous semester.
We do not offer a re-scheduled exam for students who withdraw during the exam
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- How to use AI as a student
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.