Material Science and Technology

Structure of atoms - Quantum states-Atomic bonding in solids, primary bonds like ionic, covalent and metallic bond, Nature of Materials, common crystal structure of metals, representations of planes and directions in crystals, atomic packing in crystals, calculation of packing density, Single crystals, polycrystalline, Non crystalline solids, Imperfection in solids.

Solids, solid solutions, phase rule, binary phase diagrams, binary isomorphous systems, binary eutectic systems, types of transformations, homogeneous and heterogeneous transformation, thermodynamics of transformation, nucleation and growth kinetics, overall kinetics, recovery, recrystallization and grain growth.

Basics of crystal growth, conditions for growing crystal, crystal growth techniques: growth from melt, growth from vapour, from solution (chemical transport method and physical transport method), growth from solid, crystal perfection, factors control the size and purity of single crystals, thin films & coatings, growth of thin films from liquids. Vacuum technology and principle of vacuum pumps, creation of vacuum, measurement of vacuum using Penning, Pirani, ionization gauges.

Role of surface and interface structure in crystal growth, Growth of II–VI compound semiconductor crystals, Growth of I–III–VI2 compounds semiconductor crystals and III-V compound crystals, Phase diagrams, Crystal Structure and Bonding, Defect in crystals, bulk and surface characterization techniques.
Methods of solar cell Fabrication for Crystalline silicon and II–VI, I–III–VI2 and I2-II-IV-VI4 compounds semiconductor solar cells, Essential characteristics of solar photovoltaic cell, maximum power point, cell efficiency, fill factor etc.

Photovoltaic effect - Principle of direct solar energy conversion into electricity in a solar cell. Solar cell as p-n junction, basic equations, Solar cell materials, bandgap engineering, Thin film solar cells: Amorphous silicon, Quantum Dot solar cells ,Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide based solar cells, Organic and hybrid solar cells: Dye Sensitized Solar Cells, Perovskite Solar Cells.