It is divided into two types: N+/P type battery based on P type silicon and P*/N type battery based on N type silicon. The former has good radiation resistance, while the latter has higher efficiency.
Silicon solar cells have high photoelectric conversion efficiency, with product efficiency between 8~13%, up to 19%, light weight, reliable, long-term operation, and ability to withstand the complex environment of outer space. The disadvantages are high cost, large area, poor mechanical properties, and low material utilization. It has been widely used in artificial satellites, spacecraft, and interstellar stations as the main power source. On the ground, it can be used as a power source for unmanned lighthouses, unmanned weather stations, microwave relay stations, beacon lights, earthquake observation stations, etc. It can also be used as a photoelectric component in automation systems.