Fundamentals of Photovoltaics
Fundamentals of photoelectric conversion: charge excitation, conduction, separation, and collection. Studies commercial and emerging photovoltaic technologies. Cross-cutting themes include conversion efficiencies, loss mechanisms, characterization, manufacturing, systems, reliability, life-cycle analysis, and risk analysis. Photovoltaic technology evolution in the context of markets, policies, society, and environment. Graduate students complete additional work.
Fall 2013
Fundamentals of photoelectric conversion: charge excitation, conduction, separation, and collection. Lectures cover commercial and emerging photovoltaic technologies and cross-cutting themes, including conversion efficiencies, loss mechanisms, characterization, manufacturing, systems, reliability, life-cycle analysis, risk analysis, and technology evolution in the context of markets, policies, society, and environment. This course is one of many [OCW Energy Courses](/courses/energy-courses/), and it is an elective subject in MIT's undergraduate {{% resource_link "a50644fd-3c74-4d1e-807f-99bdd0863197" "Energy Studies Minor" %}}. This Institute–wide program complements the deep expertise obtained in any major with a broad understanding of the interlinked realms of science, technology, and social sciences as they relate to energy and associated environmental challenges.
Readings
Prerequisites & course information
Prereq: Permission of instructor U (Fall) Not offered regularly; consult department 4-0-8 units
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026–2027
- MIT OpenCourseWare ↗Fall 2013
- MIT OCW syllabus ↗
- Historical MIT OpenCourseWare offering. Named reading entries and schedule topics are automatically extracted from the linked source pages.