Electric Field Dopes Junk Metal Oxides To From Solar Cells

What can be better than utilizing unwanted waste for human benefits. Researchers at UC Berkeley have discovered a technique to use oxidized metal in solar panels. Solar Panels consist of photovoltaic  cells (also known as solar cells) to convert light energy directly into electricity. Electrical properties (current, voltage or resistance) of these cells change on exposure to light, this generates electricity without any external source.

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Solar cells are constructed by doping a semiconductor material, creating a high quality p-n junction. Exposure to light creates the excited electrons of semiconductor to move in a single direction. These excited electrons can then be used to perform the desired function like powering instruments. Low cost semiconductors (such as metal oxides) cannot be used in the process as they are hard to dope with the available doping techniques. The problem is a history now, researchers have found that an electric field can dope any semiconductor (including low cost metal oxides), forming a high quality p-n junction. The p-n junction can then be used as a custom solar cell for harnessing sun's energy. The discover not only reduces the cost of solar panel, but also gives an amazing way of utilizing metal oxide junk.

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