FYI,

"A Walk Through the Time"
PV Resources
http://www.pvresources.com/en/history.php

: The story of photovoltaics and how it all began in 1839 as a
: coincidence, just like many other discoveries in the past, such as
: penicillin, is a very interesting reading. The story will take you
: through some facts, persons and events, which have marked the
: history of photovoltaics.

: 1839 - 1899: Discovery of basic phenomena and properties of PV
: materials

: Discovery of photovoltaic effect:

: A physical phenomenon allowing light-electricity conversion
: - photovoltaic effect, was discovered in 1839 by the French
: physicist Alexandre Edmond Becquerel. Experimenting with metal
: electrodes and electrolyte he discovered that conductance rises
: with illumination.

: First solar cells:

: Willoughby Smith discovered photovoltaic effect in selenium in
: 1873. In 1876, with his student R. E. Day, William G. Adams
: discovered that illuminating a junction between selenium and
: platinum also has a photovoltaic effect. These two discoveries were
: a foundation for the first selenium solar cell construction, which
: was built in 1877. Charles Fritts first described them in detail in
: 1883.

: Other interesting phenomena:

: In 1887, Heinrich Hertz discovered that ultraviolet light changes
: the voltage at which sparks between two metal electrodes would be
: initiated.

: 1900 - 1949: Theoretical explanation of the photovoltaic effect and
: the first solar cells

: Theoretical explanation of the photovoltaic effect:

: The author of the most comprehensive theoretical work about the
: photovoltaic effect was Albert Einstein, who described the
: phenomenon in 1904. For his theoretical explanation he was awarded
: a Nobel Prize in 1921. Einstein's theoretical explanation was
: practically proved by Robert Millikan's experiment in 1916.

: The first silicon solar cells:

: In 1918, a Polish scientist Czohralski discovered a method for
: monocrystalline silicon production, which enabled monocrystalline
: solar cells production. The first silicon monocrystalline solar
: cell was constructed in 1941.

: The photovoltaic effect in other materials:

: In 1932, the photovoltaic effect in cadmium-selenide was observed.
: Nowadays, CdS belongs among important materials for solar cells
: production.

: 1950 - 1969: Intensive space research

: Intensive laboratory researches:

: In 1951, the first germanium solar cells have been made. Dr. Dan
: Trivich of Wayne State University has made some theoretical
: calculation on solar cell efficiency with different materials, and
: on solar spectrum wavelengths in 1953. In 1954, the RCA
: Laboratories published a report on CdS photovoltaic effect. AT&T
: organized several demonstrations on solar cells functioning the
: same year. The Bell's Laboratories published the results of the
: solar cells operation with 4.5 % efficiency. The efficiency was
: increased to 6 % within a few months.

: The first satellites and solar powered cars:

: The first radiation proof silicon solar cell was produced for the
: purposes of space technology the same year. On 17th March, the
: first satellite powered by solar cells, Vanguard I, was launched.
: The system ran continuously for 8 years. Two other satellites,
: Explorer III and Vanguard II, were launched by Americans, and
: Sputnik III by Russians.

Mark Reiff