How does a solar cell work?
Sunlight is converted directly into electricity via a solar cell. Elementary pulses are generated at the moment that sunlight is absorbed by the active layers of a solar cell.
Solar cells can be made of various materials. The most commonly used solar cell is composed of crystalline silicon. This solar cell is made of approximately 200-micron thick wafers of very pure silicon.
Thin-film amorphous silicon solar cells are composed of a very thin (1 - 2 micron thick) layer of silicon deposit. This silicon consists of a stack of positive and negative layers around a neutral layer. An electron and a hole are formed when light falls on the active layer. Because of the difference in potential the electron and the hole are pulled apart. The stream of positive and negative particles is collected on the front and rear contacts respectively and can then be used to provide energy to an external circuit.