what kind of material is used to make a basic photovoltaic cell? course

What are the basic elements of photovoltaic technology?

Feb 04, 2016 · To create solar cells, the raw materials—silicon dioxide from quartzite pebbles or crushed quartz—are first heated in an electric arc furnace, where the oxygen is released by a carbon arc. Monocrystalline solar cells are comprised of an extremely pure form of silicon, making them the most efficient material for converting sunlight to energy.

What are photovoltaic cells made of?

Photovoltaic Technology Basics. Solar Photovoltaic Cell Basics. When light shines on a photovoltaic (PV) cell – also called a solar cell – that light may be reflected, absorbed, or pass right through the cell. The PV cell is composed of semiconductor material; the “semi” means that it can conduct electricity better than an insulator but ...

What are the materials used to make solar cells?

Silicon has been used to make silicon solar cells (or, more specifically, photovoltaic cells (PV)) since Bell Labs patented the first solar cell in 1954. The actual discovery of the photovoltaic effect goes back much further to a French physicist Edmond Becquerel who discovered it in 1839.

Which of the following semiconductors is used in solar cell?

the basic elements of photovoltaics-theindividual electricity-producing cell. The readeris told why PV cells work, and how theyare made. Thereis also a chapter on advanced types of silicon cells. Chapters 6-8cover the designs of systems constructed from individual cells-includingpossible

What is the principle of solar cells?

The principle operation of a solar cell is similar to conduction in a semiconductor like silicon. As seen in the picture, the dark surface is the part that is exposed to sunlight. When EM radiation strikes the surface of the cell, it excites the electrons and as such cause them to jump from jump from one energy level ...

What is solar cell?

A solar cell (or Photovoltaic Cell) is a device that produces electric current either by chemical action or by converting light to electric current when exposed to sunlight. For the sake of this article, attention will be given to solar cells only. Also read.

How does solar energy work?

In solar cells, the amount of electrical energy generated by the cells depends on the intensity of em radiation that reaches the surface of the cell . Solar cell converts em radiation to DC current. Thus we can say that a solar cell is a semiconductor junction device that converts electromagnetic radiation reaching us from ...

How to clean glass plates?

The steps are as follows. Clean the surfaces of the two glass plates thoroughly with ethanol. Do not touch the surface of the glass plates with your hand after cleaning. Using millimeter, test how conductive the surfaces of the plates are and notice the most conductive surface of each of the plates.

Is a surface a P or N?

As said earlier, the surface is a P – type material. The P – type material should be thin so that light energy (EM radiation) will be able to penetrate the junction and reach the N – type material to allow diffusion of electrons and holes.

What type of charge is carried by electrons?

Electrons are the major charge carriers in this type of semiconductor. They carry negative charges. They are formed when silicon or any other semiconductor is doped with a pentavalent element (element with a five valence electron in the outer shell).

What are the disadvantages of solar cells?

Disadvantage of using solar cells are. The surface of the cell has to be large in order to produce reasonable amount of electrical energy. When the sun goes into hiding in the clouds amount of energy generated will be cut down.

What is the most common semiconductor used in solar cells?

Silicon . Silicon is, by far, the most common semiconductor material used in solar cells, representing approximately 95% of the modules sold today. It is also the second most abundant material on Earth (after oxygen) and the most common semiconductor used in computer chips. Crystalline silicon cells are made of silicon atoms connected ...

How does PV work?

This extra energy allows the electrons to flow through the material as an electrical current. This current is extracted through conductive metal contacts – the grid-like lines on a solar cells – and can then be used to power your home and the rest of the electric grid. The efficiency of a PV cell is simply the amount of electrical power coming out ...

What happens when a semiconductor is exposed to light?

When the semiconductor is exposed to light, it absorbs the light’s energy and transfers it to negatively charged particles in the material called electrons. This extra energy allows the electrons to flow through the material as an electrical current.

What is the bandgap of a PV cell?

An important property of PV semiconductors is the bandgap, which indicates what wavelengths of light the material can absorb and convert to electrical energy. If the semiconductor’s bandgap matches the wavelengths of light shining on the PV cell, then that cell can efficiently make use of all the available energy .

What is a crystal cell made of?

Crystalline silicon cells are made of silicon atoms connected to one another to form a crystal lattice. This lattice provides an organized structure that makes conversion of light into electricity more efficient. Solar cells made out of silicon currently provide a combination of high efficiency, low cost, and long lifetime.

What is solar cell?

Solar Photovoltaic Cell Basics. When light shines on a photovoltaic (PV) cell – also called a solar cell – that light may be reflected, absorbed, or pass right through the cell. The PV cell is composed of semiconductor material; the “semi” means that it can conduct electricity better than an insulator but not as well as a good conductor like ...

How long do solar cells last?

Solar cells made out of silicon currently provide a combination of high efficiency, low cost, and long lifetime. Modules are expected to last for 25 years or more , still producing more than 80% of their original power after this time.

When was silicon first used in solar cells?

Silicon has been used to make solar cells (or, more specifically, Photovoltaic (PV) cells) since Bell Labs patented them in 1954 . The actual discovery of the photovoltaic effect goes back much further to a French physicist Edmond Becquerel who discovered it in 1839. Of course, the evolution of the solar cell took more effort than that.

Who invented the solar cell?

Then in 1883, Charles Fritz, an American inventor, created the first working selenium solar cell.

What is the difference between a p-type and a n-type?

The n-type material will have an available electron in its outer shell and the p-type will have one less.

Abstract

This book presents a nonmathematical explanation of the theory and design of photovoltaic (PV) solar cells and systems. The basic elements of PV are introduced: the photovoltaic effect, physical aspects of solar cell efficiency, the typical single-crystal silicon solar cell, advances in single-crystal silicon solar cells.

Citation Formats

Hersch, P, and Zweibel, K. Basic photovoltaic principles and methods. United States: N. p., 1982. Web. doi:10.2172/5191389.

What are the materials used to make solar panels?

However, the most common of these materials which is being used to make industrial grade solar cells is crystalline silicon due to its semiconducting properties. Main types of PV cells that are made of silicon are: Mono-crystalline Silicon Cell. Ploy-crystalline Silicon Cell. Thin Film Silicon Cell.

What are the different types of solar cells?

Now let’s have a look into the different types of Photovoltaic (PV) cells. PV cells are being manufactured from different materials and they all are used for converting the solar energy to usable electricity. However, the most common of these materials which is being used to make industrial grade solar cells is crystalline silicon due to its semiconducting properties. Main types of PV cells that are made of silicon are: 1 Mono-crystalline Silicon Cell 2 Ploy-crystalline Silicon Cell 3 Thin Film Silicon Cell

What is PV cell?

PV cells are being manufactured from different materials and they all are used for converting the solar energy to usable electricity.

How is silicon deposited?

Silicon is deposited in a thin homogenous layer onto surface like glass or rubber to make the amorphous silicon cells. Thin film cells are not very efficient, and the efficiency vary around 6% on an average. Also, the power output reduces very fast in the first few months of use.

Monocrystalline Silicon Cell

The first commercially available solar cells were made from monocrystalline silicon, which is an extremely pure form of silicon. To produce these, a seed crystal is pulled out of a mass of molten silicon creating a cylindrical ingot with a single, continuous, crystal lattice structure.

Polycrystalline Silicon Cell

Instead of a single uniform crystal structure, polycrystalline (or multicrystalline) cells contain many small grains of crystals (see figure 2). They can be made by simply casting a cube-shaped ingot from molten silicon, then sawn and packaged similar to monocrystalline cells.

Thin Film Cells

Figure 3. A thin film solar panel composed of non-crystalline silicon deposited on a flexible material.

High Efficiency Cells

Other cell technologies have been developed which operate at much higher efficiencies than those mentioned above, but their higher material and manufacturing costs currently prohibit wide spread commercial use.

Emerging Cell Technologies

Electricity can be produced through the interaction of light on many other materials as well. Perovskite solar cells, named after their specific crystal structure, can be produced from organic compounds of lead and elements such as chlorine, bromine or iodine.

What are the different types of photovoltaic cells?

The main types of photovoltaic cells are the following: 1 Monocrystalline silicon cells (M-Si). It consists of a single silicon crystal with a very uniform structure. It guarantees superior performance than other technologies because the silicon atoms are perfectly aligned, thus facilitating conductivity. 2 Polycrystalline silicon (P-Si) solar cells. It is made up of many silicon crystals. They are cheaper but have lower performance. 3 Thin-Film Cells. It is obtained by depositing several layers of photovoltaic material on a base. With respect to the crystalline lenses it is easier to manufacture but it has a lower performance.#N#Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSC) and other organic solar cells.#N#Indian copper gallium and selenium (CIS or CIGS)#N#Cadmium Telluride (CdTe)#N#Amorphous silicon (a-Si) and other thin film silicons (TF-Si)

What is a P-Si solar cell?

Polycrystalline silicon (P-Si) solar cells. It is made up of many silicon crystals. They are cheaper but have lower performance. Thin-Film Cells. It is obtained by depositing several layers of photovoltaic material on a base. With respect to the crystalline lenses it is easier to manufacture but it has a lower performance.

What is solar energy?

Solar cells are responsible for converting solar radiation into electricity in the form of direct current. Photoelectric cells are an indispensable element for this type of renewable energy. The set of photovoltaic cells connected in series form a solar panel. In this case, a photovoltaic solar panel.

What is a cdte?

Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) Amorphous silicon (a-Si) and other thin film silicons (TF-Si) The different types of photoelectric cells depend on the nature and characteristics of the materials used. The most common type is the crystalline silicon (Si) cell. This material is cut into very thin disc-shaped sheets, monocrystalline or polycrystalline, ...

Introduction to Solar Cell Or Photovoltaic Cells

See more on electricaltechnology.org

Basic Operating Principle of A Photovoltaic / Solar Cell

Construction of A Solar Cell Using Silicon Semiconductor

How to Construct A Simple Solar cell?

Disadvantages of Using Solar Cells

Applications & Uses of Solar Cells