PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL

A device which converts light energy to electrical energy is called photovoltaic cell.It is a basically a p-n junction device in which the potential barrier between the p and n region is used to derive the current through the external circuit when light is incident on the junction. The current is directly proportional to the intensity of light. A single silicon potovoltaic cell produces a voltage of 0.6V and a current of the order of a few mA.

In order to obtain greater power, series-parallel arrays of thousands of such cells are used. They are called photovoltaic panels and are commonly used in satellites and spacecrafts to convert solar energy into electrical energy. The electrical energy so generated can be used to operate other electronic equipment.