OK, I am slightly confused because different websites say different things. From what I understand:
1) Silicon is doped with Phosphorus because Silicon's electron arrangement is 2,8,4 and phosphorus is 2,8,5. When they bond, there is an extra electron.
2) Silicon is doped with Boron which has an electron arrangement of 2,8,3, meaning there is still a space for an electron.
Q1) What is the overall charges of each plate? I thought they were both neutral due to every electron having a proton, but this website says other wise. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/solar-panels-how-they-work.html (Third paragraph down)
3) The plates are put together. The electrons from the n-type plate rush into the p-type plate, creating a depletion zone. Electrons from the n-type plate try and go to the p-type plate, but they can't seeing as some atoms in the p-type plate are negatively charged and some are positively charged in the n-type plate. They go back to the n-type side.
And here is where I don't know what happens.
http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/How_Do_Solar_Panels_Work This website says that the electrons are knocked off the n-type plate (4th paragraph into "Photons into Electrons")
Whilst this website http://www.explainthatstuff.com/solarcells.html says that the electrons that are knocked off are from the p-type plate (Look at the diagram about a page down)
Q2) Where do the electrons that are knocked off come from: The n-type Silicon or the p-type silicon?
Any help would be much appreciated,
Jjtricky
1) Silicon is doped with Phosphorus because Silicon's electron arrangement is 2,8,4 and phosphorus is 2,8,5. When they bond, there is an extra electron.
2) Silicon is doped with Boron which has an electron arrangement of 2,8,3, meaning there is still a space for an electron.
Q1) What is the overall charges of each plate? I thought they were both neutral due to every electron having a proton, but this website says other wise. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/solar-panels-how-they-work.html (Third paragraph down)
3) The plates are put together. The electrons from the n-type plate rush into the p-type plate, creating a depletion zone. Electrons from the n-type plate try and go to the p-type plate, but they can't seeing as some atoms in the p-type plate are negatively charged and some are positively charged in the n-type plate. They go back to the n-type side.
And here is where I don't know what happens.
http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/How_Do_Solar_Panels_Work This website says that the electrons are knocked off the n-type plate (4th paragraph into "Photons into Electrons")
Whilst this website http://www.explainthatstuff.com/solarcells.html says that the electrons that are knocked off are from the p-type plate (Look at the diagram about a page down)
Q2) Where do the electrons that are knocked off come from: The n-type Silicon or the p-type silicon?
Any help would be much appreciated,
Jjtricky