Solar Science
Learn more about the science (and the history) behind the technology.
A Brief History of Solar PV Pioneers
French Physicist, Alexander Edmund Becquerel, first identified the
creation of voltage in a material exposed to light in 1839. The
Photovoltaic Effect he observed is the same principle that today’s PV
Solar Modules (panels) exploit generally using Silicone as a
semiconductor.
Download A Brief History of Solar PV Pioneers PDF
(13.2KB)
Differing Forms of Silicone
The silicone crystals employed in Solar PV Cells come in many differing forms.
Download Differing Forms of Silicone PDF
(20.1KB)
Silicon Solar PV at an Atomic Level
Silicon is the second most common element in the Earth’s crust. It has a
short Band Gap and is therefore a very good semiconductor.
Download Silicon Solar PV at an Atomic Level PDF
(585.5KB)
Valence Electrons and the Band Gap
In semiconductor atoms, electrons are confined to a number of bands of
energy and forbidden from other regions. The term "Band Gap" refers to
the energy difference between the top of the Valence Band and the bottom
of the Conduction Band.
Download Valence Electrons and the Band Gap PDF
(25.9KB)
