6V 250mA Solar Panel with Waterproof Case 125x125x18mm

Solar Cell

Solar cell is an electronic device that captures sunlight and converts it directly into electricity. Just like the cells in a battery, the cells in a solar panel are designed to produce electricity; But where a battery's cells generate electricity from chemicals, a solar panel's cells generate power by capturing sunlight.

A solar cell is a sandwich of n-type silicon (blue) and p-type silicon (red). It generates electricity by using sunlight to make electrons jump between different silicones:

• When sunlight shines on the cell, photons (light particles) bombard the upper surface.
• Photons (yellow) pass their energy through the cell.
• Photons release their energy to electrons (green) in the lower, p-type layer.
• Electrons use this energy to jump across the barrier to the upper, n-type layer and escape into the circuit. This unidirectional flow of electrons creates direct current and lights the lamp.