Hall of Famers
The inventors of the silicon solar cell were inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Akron, Ohio late last week, along with 13 others, whose creations range from Styrofoam to Bose noise-reducing headphones (which I credit for preventing me from committing capital crimes while doing time in a cubicle as a writer for SuperMegaCorp).
First unveiled in 1954 and boasting 6 percent efficiency, the first modern solar cell was patented in 1957 by AT&T’s Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller, and Gerald Pearson. Patent number US2780765 describes their “Solar Energy Converting Apparatus.” In addition to converting solar energy to electricity, the technology developed by Chapin, Fuller, and Pearson is credited for making possible space exploration, fiber optics, and many science fair projects.
The three gentlemen were inducted in the Hall of Fame posthumously.
Tags: history, silicon solar cell
Author: Leah Kauffman
May 6th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Good post noting this historical event. INterensting that 50 years on the solar cell continues to evolve. Even at 6 % energy conversion efficiency it’s better than the internal combustion engine. At the 12 + % we see from current technology cells (including thin film) it’s looking better all the time.
Now I may just have a way to get rid of those millions of low voltage wall warts. You suppose there’s a nobel prize in it for me if I’m successful ?