Free Online Course on Solar Energy and Semi-Conductor Devices

In this free online course, you will learn about solar energy, solar cells, solar radiation the fundamental aspects of solar radiation, the atmospheric effects on solar radiation, and measuring sunrise and sunset. Start the course to find out more about measuring solar radiation, the basics of P-N junctions and the effects of bias, the characteristics of P-N junctions, manufacturing silicon and the generations of PV technologies.

What You Will Learn In This Free Course

Introduction to Solar Energy

In this module, you will be introduced to solar energy, solar cells, solar radiation, the different matrices to quantify solar radiation, the fundamental aspects of solar radiation, the atmospheric effects on solar radiation, the effect of location on time, and Sun-Earth angular rotations.

Fundamentals of Semi-Conductors

In this module, you will be introduced to various models of measuring solar radiation, sun-surface geometry for an inclined angle, calculating sunrise, sunset and day length, local apparent time, basic principles of semi-conductors, structure of semi-conductor materials, and electrical properties of semi-conductors.

Carrier Transport

In this module, you will be introduced to the conductivity and resistivity of semi-conductors, measuring resistivity, band diagram in semi-conductors, carrier diffusion, total current, and the various forms of carrier generation and recombination.

Diploma in Solar Photovoltaics: Principles, Technologies & Materials – First Assessment

You need to score 80% or more to pass.; Module

Semi-Conductor Junctions

In this module, you will be introduced to the basics of P-N junctions, the characteristics of P-N junctions, the effects of bias on P-N junctions, a Dark analysis of P-N junctions, the change in the curvature of the carrier density and the change in potential.

Essential Characteristics of Solar Photovoltaic Devices

In this module, you will be introduced to a basic framework for determining I-V characteristics in light, conditions of P-N junctions in three regions, P-N junction analysis in light, boundary conditions, combining current yields, photo-current and efficiency in special cases, device characteristics, and effects of irradiation.

First Generation Solar Cells

In this module, you will be introduced to the circuit representation of solar cells, resistance in series, resistance variation, liming efficiency, effect of bandgap, requirements for an ideal P-V device, quantum efficiency, the discovery of photovoltaic effect, evolution of solar PV technologies, design considerations, how to improve light absorption, and reducing parasitic losses.

Second Generation Solar Cells

In this module, you will be introduced to the manufacturing of silicon, production of metallurgical grade silicon, semi-conductor grade silicon, the Siemens process, deposition methods, manufacturing of CdTe solar cells, spray deposition, process improvements in CdTe solar cells, and CIGS manufacturing.

Third Generation Solar Cells

In this module, you will be introduced to third generation PV technologies, organic solar cells, conductivity in materials, normal P-N junction cell, single layer device, design in organic solar cells, bi-layer solar cells, bulk hetero-junction solar cells, dye sensitized solar cells, and issues with organic solar cells.

Diploma in Solar Photovoltaics: Principles, Technologies & Materials – Second Assessment

You need to score 80% or more to pass.; Module

Course assessment