Solar Panel Efficiency Threshold · AI Generator #GEN-3F523EEB

Physics · modern-physics

Problem

A new type of solar panel uses a semiconductor material with a work function of

\phi = 2.1\;\text{eV}

. The panel is designed to operate efficiently only when the kinetic energy of ejected photoelectrons exceeds

0.8\;\text{eV}

, which is the minimum energy needed for the electrons to overcome internal resistance and contribute to current flow. Sunlight can be approximated as containing photons with wavelengths ranging from

400\;\text{nm}

(violet) to

700\;\text{nm}

(red). What is the maximum wavelength of light that can produce photoelectrons with sufficient kinetic energy for efficient operation? Take Planck's constant

h = 6.63 \times 10^{-34}\;\text{J·s}

and the speed of light

c = 3.00 \times 10^8\;\text{m/s}

. Use

1\;\text{eV} = 1.60 \times 10^{-19}\;\text{J}

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