Silicon photocells, also known as silicon solar cells, are one of the most commonly used types of photocells. They are made from silicon, a semiconductor material that is abundant and cost-effective. Silicon photocells are known for their high sensitivity to light and can convert photons into electrical current.
silicon (e.g. photoconductive antenna). Photovoltaic. Such a detector contains a junction in a semiconductor material between a region where the conductivity is due to electrons and a region where the conductivity is due to holes (a so-called pn junction). A voltage is generated when optical energy strikes the device (e.g. solar cell).
Alternative terms for photoconductive detectors are photoresistors, light-dependent resistors and photocells. While for the detection of visible light one would usually prefer photodiodes due to their clearly superior performance (except sometimes in cost-critical applications), photoconductive detectors are often used as infrared detectors.
Definition: photodetectors which exhibit a reduction in electrical resistance caused by incoming light Alternative terms: photoresistors, light-dependent resistors, photocells More general term: photodetectors Opposite term: photoemissive detectors Categories: light detection and characterization, optoelectronics
A few devices, notably some silicon photodiodes, have their peak sensitivity for the same colour as the peak sensitivity of the human eye. The main classes of photocells are photoresistors, photovoltaic materials, and photoemitters. Kevin M. Lynch, ... Matthew L. Elwin, in Embedded Computing in C with the PIC32 Microcontroller, 2016
Semiconductor -based photodetectors typically use a p–n junction that converts photons into charge. The absorbed photons make electron–hole pairs in the depletion region. Photodiodes and photo transistors are a few examples of photo detectors. Solar cells convert some of the light energy absorbed into electrical energy.