Evolution of Silicon based Solar Cell Technologies for Future Sources of Energy

Dr. Sourav Mandal

REC Solar Pte Ltd, 20 Tuas South Avenue 14, Singapore 637312

The photovoltaic effect was first realized by the French Scientist Edmond Becquerel in 1839. Bell Labs announced the invention of the first practical solar cells on April 25, 1954 in Murray Hill, New Jersey. They demonstrated their solar panel by using it to power a small toy Ferris wheel and a solar powered radio transmitter. Those first silicon solar cells were about 6% efficient at converting the energy in sunlight into electricity, a huge improvement over any previous solar cells. At present days the silicon based solar modules leading the market share. Many modifications were done in the structures, bulk materials, junction materials. Now the efficiency reaches to 26.81% with heterojunction structure.  Very near future the scientists are expected to narrow down the gap between theoretical limit of 29.43% and practical efficiency for the silicon based single junction structures. In this lecture we will discuss the materials, structures for the development the silicon based solar cell technologies.