Free interactive chemistry · SIM-MAT-001
Photovoltaic band alignment
A solar cell: photons above the band gap make electron–hole pairs, and the junction separates them.
Open the interactive simulation →How to use this simulation
- Choose an absorber material, or move the band gap.
- Watch which photons pass through and which are absorbed.
- Read the ultimate efficiency on the graph.
What to notice
- Small gap: most photons absorbed, but each gives little energy.
- Large gap: each gives a lot, but most pass through. The best is about 1.1 eV.
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