Photovoltaic cell

0902202-162

[DEFINITION]
A photodetector that utilizes the photovoltaic effect, that is, the generation of an electromotive force by irradiation of light.

[DESCRIPTION]
Since an interface potential exists across a barrier such as a PN junction in a semiconductor, an electric field is generated around the barrier. If a photon with an energy greater than the energy gap between the valence band and the conduction band hits the interface, it creates an electron and a hole, which are parted from each other by the interface electric field, producing a potential (photovoltaic force). High voltage can be produced by integrating multiple photovoltaic cells by silicon micromachining technology. The photovoltaic cell is used for photodiodes, phototransistors, and solar batteries.

[References]
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[Related Terms]