Solar Cells are here because of Chapin, Fuller and Pearson

Back in the early 1950’s three scientist made major contributions to electrical engineering and to the way we view and use energy. The three scientist were Gerald Pearson, Daryl Chapin and Calvin Fuller. Gerald Pearson was born on March, 31 1905 and he was physicist and mathematician who worked on semiconductor materials and transistors. Daryl Chapin was born on July 21, 1906 and he was a scientist who focused his work on finding and employing alternative sources of power. Calvin Fuller was born on May, 25 1902 and he was a chemist who also worked with transistors. All three scientist worked for Bell Laboratories, and all three contributed to the creation of the solar cell.

In the beginning Fuller and Pearson were working on improving transistors and to transform silicon from a poor to the preeminent conductor of electricity. Fuller gave Pearson a piece of silicon containing a small amount of gallium, which resulted on the piece of silicon becoming positively charged. Then they dipped a portion of the silicon into a lithium bath and this led to the submerged piece of silicon becoming negatively charged. Then in the middle of the piece where the positive and negative side met it created a permanent electrical field. This exact location is the heart or the most important part of a transistor and a solar cell. Then they used a lamplight to provide energy to the silicon which was connected to an ammeter to show that it created an electrical current.

At the same time Daryl Chapin was looking for an alternative source, and convinced Bell Laboratories to let him research solar cells. Chapin then decide to collaborate with Fuller and Pearson to create and enhance the silicon solar cell. Their prototype solar cell was the size of a quarter with wires sticking out that could only power a tiny electric windmill. Chapin made a discovery that the more powerful the photons were from the light source of shorter wavelengths it could move greater amount of electrons where they could be harvested as electricity. Eventually with modifying the solar cell they reached their goal of being capable of converting enough of the sun’s energy, to power any type of electrical equipment.

Bell laboratories presented a solar battery or solar cell presentation where they would explain their discoveries and the benefits this device would bring. Their presentation contained a solar battery that relied on light power to run a 21 inch Ferris wheel. They also showed a solar powered radio transmitter, which broadcasted music and news to all the people present in the presentation. Then in 1955 the Bell solar Battery was put to use to power a telephone carrier. Then in 1962, the solar cells were put to use to power vehicles. On the same year, another major contribution happened, which was that solar cells were used to power satellites in space, they were primarily used for AT&T’s Telstar communications satellite.

Calvin Souther Fuller and the birth of the Solar cell. Technica. Retrieved November 20, 2014, http://www.technicacommunications.com/calvin-fuller-solar-cell/

The history of Solar Energy. California Solar Center. Retreived November 20, 2014, http://www.californiasolarcenter.org/history_pv.html

Perlin, John. (2014). The Invention of the Solar cell. Popular Science. Retrieved November 20, 2014, http://www.popsci.com/article/science/invention-solar-cell