Solar Energy: Conversion and Semiconductors

This lecture covers the basic principles of solar energy conversion to electricity, including standard test conditions, efficiency, and the structure of a simplified solar cell. It also explains the role of semiconductors in the conversion process, focusing on n-type and p-type silicon semiconductors, electron-hole pairs generation, and the formation of a P-N junction. The lecture further discusses the steps involved in the conversion process, emphasizing the importance of photon energy exceeding the semiconductor bandgap. Various materials' bandgaps are compared to illustrate this concept.