SOLAR CELLS

PRINCIPLE OF SOLAR CELL:

• A solar cell is a solid-state electrical device (p-
n junction) that converts the energy of light
directly into electricity (DC) using the
photovoltaic effect
• The photovoltaic effect is the creation of
voltage and electric current in a material upon
exposure to light and is a physical and
chemical phenomenon. The photovoltaic
effect is closely related to the photoelectric
effect.
•Materials for Solar cell

•Solar cells are composed of various semiconducting materials

1. Crystalline silicon
2. Cadmium telluride
3. Copper indium diselenide
4. Gallium arsenide
5. Indium phosphide
6. Zinc sulphide

•Note: Semiconductors are materials, which become electrically

conductive when supplied with light or heat, but which operate as
insulators at low temperatures
 TYPES OF SOLAR CELLS
• Based on the types of crystal used, solar cells can be classified
as,
1. Monocrystalline silicon cells
2. Polycrystalline silicon cells
3. Amorphous silicon cells

Material Efficiency%
monocrystalline 14-17
polycrystalline 13-15
amorphous 5-7
 construction
• If two differently contaminated semiconductor layers are combined,
then a so-called p-n-junction results on the boundary of the layers.
• p-n junction layer

n-type semiconductor

p- type semiconductor

• By doping trivalent element, we get p-type semiconductor. (with

excess amount of hole)

• By doping pentavalent element, we get n-type semiconductor (

with excess amount of electron)
ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR CELL
1. It is clean and non-polluting
2. It is a renewable energy
3. Solar cells do not produce noise and they are totally
silent.
4. They require very little maintenance
5. They are long lasting sources of energy which can be
used almost anywhere
6. They have long life time
7. There are no fuel costs or fuel supply problems
 DISADVANTAGES
1. Solar power can be obtained in night time

2. Solar cells (or) solar panels are very expensive

3. Energy has not be stored in batteries

4. Air pollution and whether can affect the production of

electricity

5. They need large are of land to produce more efficient

power supply
 APPLICATIONS OF SOLAR CELLS
• Few applications are:
1.Solar pumps are used for water supply.
2.Domestic power supply for appliances include
refrigeration, washing machine, television and lighting
1.Ocean navigation aids: Number of lighthouses and most
buoys are powered by solar cells
1.Telecommunication systems: radio transceivers on
mountain tops, or telephone boxes in the country can
often be solar powered
1.Electric power generation in space: To providing
electrical power to satellites in an orbit around the Earth
• THANK U FOR LISTENING
• have a nice day
• by ,
• A.S.Haritha
• Mrunalini
• Huma