A solar
cell (also called photovoltaic
cell or photoelectric cell)
is a solid state electrical device that converts the energy of light directly
into electricity by the photovoltaic
effect.
Assemblies of cells used to make solar modules
which are used to capture energy from sunlight, are known as solar panels. The energy generated
from these solar modules, referred to as solar
power, is an example of solar
energy.
Working
Principle
Photovoltaics is the field
of technology and research related to the practical application of photovoltaic
cells in producing electricity from light, though it is often used specifically
to refer to the generation of electricity from sunlight.
Cells are described as photovoltaic cells
when the light source is not necessarily sunlight. These are used for detecting
light or other electromagnetic radiation near the visible range, for example infrared
detectors, or measurement of light intensity.
Figure – working principle of solar cell
The solar cell works in three steps:
- Photons in sunlight hit the solar panel and are absorbed by semiconducting materials, such as silicon.
- Electrons (negatively charged) are knocked loose from their atoms, allowing them to flow through the material to produce electricity. Due to the special composition of solar cells, the electrons are only allowed to move in a single direction.
- An array of solar cells converts solar energy into a usable amount of direct current (DC) electricity.
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