Technology of photovoltaic modules: physical principles of functioning of solar cells

Abstract

One of the foci of the forth-coming world exhibition the EXPO to be held in Astana, Kazakhstan in 2017 is devoted to the sustainable alternative energy. On the one hand, photovoltaic is one of the areas of energy industry, which belongs to a sector of the renewable sources. On the other hand, it is a realm of technology of the photoelectric devices, which are based on the physics of semiconductors. In this article the convertors of the solar radiation into electricity – so-called solar cells - are discussed. The important key of functioning of the solar cells is a photoeffect, a physical phenomenon of the direct transformation of the sunlight into electric current. The semiconductor p-n junction governs the process of the appearance of the photovoltage. The operation principles and manufacturing structures of various solar cells and their applications are considered. The topic is provided on the introductory level without going deeply into details of the photovoltaic research and condensed matter physics. Many aspects of solar batteries are explained rather qualitatively, that would be interesting also for students and scientists of non-physics education.