UNDERSTANDING SOLAR CELL TECHNOLOGY: PRINCIPLES, MATERIALS, PERFORMANCE AND FUTURE TRENDS

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Published Mar 30, 2026
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Vol. 11 No. 1 (2026): Volume 11 Issue 1

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Neha Amol Shirsath
Sandip Institute Of Engineering and Management, Nashik
Jyoti Ashok Waje
Shatabdi Institute Of Engineering and Research, Nashik2.

Abstract

Solar cells transform sunlight directly into electricity through the photovoltaic effect. Due to rising global energy needs and environmental issues, photovoltaic technology has emerged as a key renewable energy solution. This overview describes how solar cells operate, key photovoltaic technologies, electrical properties, and strategies to enhance efficiency. It covers fundamental aspects of photovoltaic (PV) cells, including their operational principle, primary physical characteristics of PV cell materials, the importance of gallium arsenide (GaAs) thin films in solar technology, their potential, and some mathematical considerations related to p-n junction solar cells. The paper is composed in a straightforward way to ensure that undergraduate engineering students can easily grasp the physical principles behind the functioning of solar cells. Traditional crystalline silicon solar panels currently lead the market, yet thin film technologies and new materials like perovskites are quickly developing. The assessment also addresses reliability issues and potential advancements in photovoltaic systems.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to Cite
[1]
Neha Amol Shirsath and Jyoti Ashok Waje, “UNDERSTANDING SOLAR CELL TECHNOLOGY: PRINCIPLES, MATERIALS, PERFORMANCE AND FUTURE TRENDS”, IEJRD - International Multidisciplinary Journal, vol. 11, no. 1, p. 7, Mar. 2026.

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