Solar cells generate electricity based on the optoelectronic properties of specific materials. A black body (such as the sun) radiates electromagnetic waves of different wavelengths (corresponding to different frequencies), such as infrared, ultraviolet, visible light, and so on.

When these rays strike different conductors or semiconductors, the photons interact with free electrons in the conductors or semiconductors to generate an electric current. The shorter the wavelength of the ray, the higher the frequency, the higher the energy it has. For example, the energy of ultraviolet rays is much higher than that of infrared rays. However, not all wavelengths of ray energy can be converted into electrical energy. It is worth noting that the photovoltaic effect has nothing to do with the intensity of the ray, and current can only be generated when the frequency reaches or exceeds the threshold for generating the photovoltaic effect.
The maximum wavelength of light that can make a semiconductor produce photovoltaic effect is related to the forbidden band width of the semiconductor. For example, the forbidden band width of crystalline silicon is about 1.155eV at room temperature, so light with a wavelength less than 1100 nm can make crystalline silicon produce photovoltaic effect. .
Solar cell power generation is a renewable and environmentally friendly way of power generation. No greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide are generated during the power generation process, and it will not pollute the environment. According to the production materials, it is divided into silicon-based semiconductor batteries, CdTe thin film batteries, CIGS thin film batteries, dye-sensitized thin film batteries, organic material batteries, etc. Among them, silicon cells are further divided into monocrystalline cells, polycrystalline cells and amorphous silicon thin film cells.