solar panels are made up of what?
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A solar cell, or photovoltaic cell, is an electrical device that converts the energy oflight directly into electricity by thephotovoltaic effect, which is a physical andchemical phenomenon.[1] It is a form of photoelectric cell, defined as a device whose electrical characteristics, such as current,voltage, or resistance, vary when exposed to light. Individual solar cell devices can be combined to form modules, otherwise known as solar panels. In basic terms a single junction silicon solar cell can produce a maximum open-circuit voltage of approximately 0.5 to 0.6 volts.[2]
Solar cells are described as beingphotovoltaic, irrespective of whether the source is sunlight or an artificial light. They are used as a photodetector (for exampleinfrared detectors), detecting light or otherelectromagnetic radiation near the visible range, or measuring light intensity.
The operation of a photovoltaic (PV) cell requires three basic attributes:
The absorption of light, generating eitherelectron-hole pairs or excitons.
The separation of charge carriers of opposite types.
The separate extraction of those carriers to an external circuit.
In contrast, a solar thermal collector suppliesheat by absorbing sunlight, for the purpose of either direct heating or indirect electrical power generation from heat. A "photoelectrolytic cell" (photoelectrochemical cell), on the other hand, refers either to a type of photovoltaic cell (like that developed byEdmond Becquerel and modern dye-sensitized solar cells), or to a device thatsplits water directly into hydrogen and oxygenusing only solar illumination.
Solar cells are described as beingphotovoltaic, irrespective of whether the source is sunlight or an artificial light. They are used as a photodetector (for exampleinfrared detectors), detecting light or otherelectromagnetic radiation near the visible range, or measuring light intensity.
The operation of a photovoltaic (PV) cell requires three basic attributes:
The absorption of light, generating eitherelectron-hole pairs or excitons.
The separation of charge carriers of opposite types.
The separate extraction of those carriers to an external circuit.
In contrast, a solar thermal collector suppliesheat by absorbing sunlight, for the purpose of either direct heating or indirect electrical power generation from heat. A "photoelectrolytic cell" (photoelectrochemical cell), on the other hand, refers either to a type of photovoltaic cell (like that developed byEdmond Becquerel and modern dye-sensitized solar cells), or to a device thatsplits water directly into hydrogen and oxygenusing only solar illumination.
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