Theory of solar cells
OverviewPhotogeneration of charge carriersWorking explanationThe p–n junctionCharge carrier separationConnection to an external loadEquivalent circuit of a solar cell
When a photon hits a piece of semiconductor, one of three things can happen: 1. The photon can pass straight through the semiconductor — this (generally) happens for lower energy photons.2. The photon can reflect off the surface.3. The photon can be absorbed by the semiconductor if the photon energy is higher than the band gap value. This generates an electron-hole pair and sometimes heat depending on the band str