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The document provides an overview of solar cells, explaining their function as photovoltaic devices that convert light into electrical energy. It details the types of solar cells, their materials, and the principles behind their operation, including the photovoltaic effect and electron-hole formation. Additionally, it discusses the advantages, disadvantages, and various applications of solar cells in modern technology.

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4 views

Presentation (1)

The document provides an overview of solar cells, explaining their function as photovoltaic devices that convert light into electrical energy. It details the types of solar cells, their materials, and the principles behind their operation, including the photovoltaic effect and electron-hole formation. Additionally, it discusses the advantages, disadvantages, and various applications of solar cells in modern technology.

Uploaded by

miguelpangetalways
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SOLAR CELLS

Introduction

Photovoltaic effect

Electron-hole formation

A solar panel (or) solar array

Types of Solar cell

Principle, construction and working of Solar cell


1. INTRODUCTION

Solar cell: Solar cell is a photovoltaic device that


converts the light energy into electrical energy
based on the principles of photovoltaic effect
Recap (Lecture-1): Photo means light in Greek and
Volt is the name of a pioneer in the study of
electricity Alessandro Volta
Albert Einstein was awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize
in physics for his research on the photoelectric
effect-a phenomenon central to the generation of
electricity through solar cells.
In the early stages, the solar cell was developed
only with 4 to 6% efficiency(because of inadequate
materials and problems in focusing the solar
radiations). But, after 1989, the solar cells with
more than 50% efficiency was developed.
THREE GENERATIONS OF SOLAR
CELLS

First Generation

First generation cells consist of large-area,


high quality and single junction devices.

First Generation technologies involve high


energy and labour inputs which prevent any
significant progress in reducing production costs.
SECOND GENERATION

Second generation materials have been


developed to address energy
requirements and production costs of
solar cells.

Alternative manufacturing techniques


such as vapour deposition and
electroplating are advantageous as they
reduce high temperature processing
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,
•Over 95% of all the solar cells produced
worldwide are composed of the semiconductor
material Silicon (Si). As the second most
abundant element in earth’s crust, silicon has
the advantage, of being available in sufficient
quantities.
•To produce a solar cell, the semiconductor is
contaminated or “doped”.

•“Doping” is the intentional introduction of


chemical elements into the semiconductor.

•By doing this, depending upon the type of


dopant, one can obtain a surplus of either
positive charge carriers (called p-conducting
3. ELECTRON-HOLE FORMATION

Photovoltaic energy conversion relies on the number of photons strikes


on the earth. (photon is a flux of light particles)

On a clear day, about 4.4 x 1017 photons strike a square centimeter of


the Earth’s surface every second.

Only some of these photons excess of the band gap electricity by the
solar cell. Those with energy in can be converted into

When such photon enters the semiconductor, it may be absorbed and


promote an electron from the valence band to the conduction band.
4. A SOLAR PANEL (OR) SOLAR
ARRAY

Single solar cell

The single solar cell constitute the n-typpe layer sandwiched with
p-type layer.

The most commonly known solar cell is configured as a large-


area p-n junction made from silicon wafer.

A single cell can produce only very tiny amounts of electricity

It can be used only to light up a small light bulb or power a


calculator.
Solar panel (or) solar array (or) Solar module

The solar panel (or) solar array is the


interconnection of number of solar module to get
efficient power.

A solar module consists of number of interconnected solar


cells.

These interconnected cells embedded between two glass


plate to protect from the bad whether.

Since absorption area of module is high, more energy can


be produced.
5. TYPES OF SOLAR CELL

Based on the types of crystal used, soar cells can be classified as,

1. Monocrystalline silicon cells

2. Polycrystalline silicon cells

3. Amorphous silicon cells

1. The Monocrystalline silicon cell is produced from pure silicon (single


crystal). Since the Monocrystalline silicon is pure and defect free, the
efficiency of cell will be higher.

2. In polycrystalline solar cell, liquid silicon is used as raw material


and polycrystalline silicon was obtained followed by solidification
3. Amorphous silicon was
obtained by depositing silicon
film on the substrate like glass
plate.

•The layer thickness amounts


to less than 1µm thickness of
a human hair for comparison
is 50-100 μm. The

• The efficiency of amorphous


cells is much lower than that
of the other two cell types.

As a result, they are used


6. PRINCIPLE, CONSTRUCTION AND
WORKING OF SOLAR CELL

Principle: The solar cells are based on the principles of


photovoltaic effect. The photovoltaic effect is the
photogeneration of charge carriers in a light absorbing
materials as a result of absorption of light radiation.

Construction

Solar cell (crystalline Silicon) consists of a n-type


semiconductor (emitter) layer and p-type semiconductor
layer (base). The two layers are sandwiched and hence
there is formation of p-n junction.

•
A proper metal contacts are made on the n-type
and p- type side of the semiconductor for
electrical connection

Working:

When a solar panel exposed to sunlight, the light


energies are absorbed by a semiconduction
materials.

Due to this absorded enrgy, the electrons are


libereted and produce the external DC current.
Mechanism:

First, the sunlight is absorbed by a solar cell in a


solar panel.

The absorbed light causes electrons in the material


to increase in energy. At the same time making
them free to move around in the material.

However, the electrons remain at this higher


energy for only a short time before returning to
their original lower energy position.

Therefore, to collect the carriers before they lose


the energy gained from the light, a PN junction is
A PN junction consists of two different regions of a
semiconductor material (usually silicon), with one
side called the p type region and the other the n-
type region.

• During the incident of light energy, in p-type


material, electrons can gain energy and move into
the n-type region.

• Then they can no longer go back to their original


low energy position and remain at a higher energy.

The process of moving a light- generated carrier


from p-type region to n-type region is called
collection.
• The electrons that leave the
solar cell as current give up
their energy to whatever is
connected to the solar cell, and
then re-enter the solar cell.
Once back in the solar cell, the
process begins again:
7. ADVANTAGE, DIS ADVANTAGE AND
APPLICATION OF SOL AR CELL ADVANTAGE

. It is clean and non-polluting


1

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. Soar power can be obtained in night time

2. Soar 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
APPLICATION

1.Soar pumps are used for water supply.

1.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

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