Working Principle: The working of solar cells involves light photons creating electron-hole pairs at the p-n junction, generating a voltage capable of driving a current across a connected load.
Solar panels are made from lots of solar cells. solar cell Solar cells are put together to make a solar panel. Made from a material called silicon, solar cells convert the light from the sun into electricity. You can see an example of solar cells on the top of some calculators.
A solar cell, also called a photovoltaic cell, is a device that can convert the energy of light into an electrical current. Although the earliest solar cells date from the 19th century , , the theoretical account of their operating principles remains somewhat unsatisfactory.
This calls for the formulation of a thermodynamic cycle in which the working substance periodically returns to its initial state after performing net work on its surroundings. That the operation of a solar cell should be characterized by a cycle was argued in , but without arriving at a concrete dynamical implementation.
Material Characteristics: Essential materials for solar cells must have a band gap close to 1.5 ev, high optical absorption, and electrical conductivity, with silicon being the most commonly used.
Construction Details: Solar cells consist of a thin p-type semiconductor layer atop a thicker n-type layer, with electrodes that allow light penetration and energy capture.