Photovoltaics

Course manual 2025/2026

Course content

Photovoltaic conversion brings the promise of sustainable energy generation capable of meeting the ever-growing energy demand. This explains the current interest and is best illustrated by the massive deployment of solar panels in solar farms and integrated systems in countries worldwide. This lecture course introduces the most important concepts from solid-state physics and (nano)technology, which form scientific foundations of photovoltaics (PV), giving a starting point for understanding of its principles, prospects, as well as limitations and bottlenecks. The lectures are given by group leaders working at UvA and AMOLF, and next to the basics of operation and application will provide also a comprehensive overview of current activities at the forefront of the research in the field of modern (nano)photovoltaics.

After a short resume on light-matter interactions and semiconductor physics, the following topics will be addressed in some detail:

• Working principle and efficiency limit of solar cells (Albert Polman )
• How to design solar cells (types of junctions, eco-design) ( Esther Alarcon Llado )
• PV in practice and characterization techniques (Erik Garnett )
• Nanocrystals: Solar shapers and assembly for PV (Peter Schall)
• Nanophotonic concepts for PV (Jorik van de Groep and Sander Mann )

For those interested, the course can provide an ideal gateway to a research project for the last year of the MSc track. 

Study materials

Literature

• Book "Solar energy - The physics and engineering of photovoltaic conversion, technologies and systems", by Arno HM Smeets et al., UIT Cambridge, England (2016)

Objectives

• You will be able to describe how a photovoltaic cell works and understand the physical processes determining its spectral response, internal and external efficiency and limitations.
• Be able to explain the limiting factors and bottleneck of photovoltaics
• Be aware and apply the knowledge to prominent research avenues towards highly efficient (nano)photovoltaics of next generation

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Self-study

The lectures provide the necessary background knowledge of the principles of light conversion and photovoltaic systems.

The self-study includes homework that the student is asked to do carefully to get practice with the material. The homework is absolutely essential, and the basis for the graded in-class quizzes, and final exam.

Learning activities

Attendance

Additional requirements for this course:

Participation in the in-class quizzes is mandatory. They test the homework assignments, are graded and are basis for the exam

Assessment

Inspection of assessed work

There are 4 short quizzes in class (typically at the beginning of a problem class). These quizzes are graded, contributing 30% to the final grade.

Assignments

Homework assignments, which form the basis for the graded in-class quizzes

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Contact information

Coordinator

• Peter Schall

Staff

• prof. dr. E. Alarcón Lladó
• prof. dr. E.C. Garnett
• dr. Jorik van de Groep
• dr. Sander Mann
• prof. dr. A. Polman