A solar cell is a device that converts light into electricity by the photovoltaic effect. Learn about the different types of solar cells, how they work, and their applications in vehicles, modules, panels and systems. Solar cells and photodetectors are devices that convert an optical input into current. A solar cell is an example of a photovoltaic device, i.e, a device that generates voltage when exposed to light. The photovoltaic e ect was discovered by Alexander-Edmond Becquerel in 1839, in a junction formed between an electrode (platinum) and an electrolyte (silver chloride). The rst solid state photovoltaic device was built, using a Si pn junction, by Russell Ohl in 1939. The functioning of a solar ... The article provides an overview of photovoltaic (PV) cell , explaining their working principles, types, materials, and applications. Solar cell - Photovoltaic, Efficiency, Applications: Most solar cells are a few square centimetres in area and protected from the environment by a thin coating of glass or transparent plastic. Because a typical 10 cm × 10 cm (4 inch × 4 inch) solar cell generates only about two watts of electrical power (15 to 20 percent of the energy of light incident on their surface), cells are usually combined in series to boost the voltage or in parallel to increase the current. A solar , or ...
