Q. Write about the working principle of solar cell.

What
are the different types of solar cell are available. Write
their characteristics and properties. Write your own
argument what kind of solar cell technology you would
suggest for North-East India.
>>>>
Working principle of Solar cell:
Solar cell is a photovoltaic device that converts the light energy
into electrical energy based on the principles of photovoltaic
effect. The generation of voltage across the PN junction
in a semiconductor due to the absorption of light
radiation is called photovoltaic effect. The Devices
based on this effect is called photovoltaic device.

This process requires firstly, a material in which the absorption of light raises
an electron to a higher energy state, and secondly, the movement of this higher
energy electron from the solar cell into an external circuit. The electron then
dissipates its energy in the external circuit and returns to the solar cell. The
basic steps in the operation of a solar cell are:

the generation of light-generated carriers;

the collection of the light-generated carries to generate a current;

the generation of a large voltage across the solar cell

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.
When a solar panel exposed to sunlight , the light energies
are absorbed by a semiconduction materials.
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 ptype region to n-type region is called collection.

These collections of carriers (electrons) can be either

extracted from the device to give a current, or it can
remain in the device and gives rise to a voltage.

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 and current continues to
flow.

Types of Solar Cells

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
4. Multijunction solar cell (MJ)
5. Nanocrystal solar cell
6. Organic solar cell (OPV)
7. Photoelectrochemical cell (PEC)
8. Plasmonic solar cell
9. Polymer solar cell
10.Thin film solar cell (TFSC)

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
process. The materials contain various crystalline sizes.
Hence, the efficiency of this type of cell is less than
Monocrystalline cell.
3. Amorphous silicon was obtained by depositing silicon film
on the substrate like glass plate.

 The layer thickness amounts to less than 1m the

thickness of a human hair for comparison is 50-100
m.
The efficiency of amorphous cells is much lower than that
of the other two cell types.
As a result, they are used mainly in low power equipment, such
as watches and pocket calculators, or as facade elements.

4. Multi-junction (MJ) solar cells are solar cells with

multiple pn junctions made of different semiconductor
materials. Each material's p-n junction will produce
electric current in response to different wavelengths of
light. The use of multiple semiconducting materials allows
the absorbance of a broader range of wavelengths,
improving the cell's sunlight to electrical energy
conversion efficiency.
5. Nanocrystal solar cells are solar cells based on a
substrate with a coating of nanocrystals. The nanocrystals
are typically based on silicon, CdTe or CIGS and the
substrates are generally silicon or various organic
conductors. Quantum dot solar cells are a variant of this
approach, but take advantage of quantum mechanical
effects to extract further performance. Dye-sensitized
solar cells are another related approach, but in this case
the nano-structuring is part of the substrate.
6. An organic solar cell or plastic solar cell is a type of
polymer solar cell that uses organic electronics, a branch

of electronics that deals with conductive organic polymers

or small organic molecules,[1] for light absorption and
charge transport to produce electricity from sunlight by
the photovoltaic effect.
7. Photoelectrochemical cells or PECs are solar cells that
produce electrical energy or hydrogen in a process similar
to the electrolysis of water.
8. Plasmonic solar cells are a class of photovoltaic devices
that convert light into electricity by using plasmons.
Plasmonic solar cells are a type of thin film solar cell which
are typically 1-2m thick.
9. A polymer solar cell is a type of flexible solar cell made
with polymers, large molecules with repeating structural
units, that produce electricity from sunlight by the
photovoltaic effect. Polymer solar cells include organic
solar cells (also called "plastic solar cells"). They are one
type of thin film solar cell, others include the more stable
amorphous silicon solar cell.
10.
A thin-film solar cell (TFSC), also called a thin-film
photovoltaic cell (TFPV), is a second generation solar
cell that is made by depositing one or more thin layers, or
thin film (TF) of photovoltaic material on a substrate, such
as glass, plastic or metal.