Comsat solar cell display
name: label: maker
content: COMSAT Laboratories
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This display shows the results of a decade of experimentation with new materials and techniques that improved solar cell efficiency. Each group of cells on this demonstration panel produces an equal amount of electricity. There are fifteen “conventional cells” mounted next to twelve “violet cells” mounted next to ten “non-reflective cells.” A violet cell converts light to electricity close to its surface, so it absorbs more light than a conventional cell. A non-reflective cell absorbs even more light because less bounces off its surface.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Electricity
label: See more items in
content: Energy & Power
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: from Comsat Laboratories, thru Allan Galfund
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1981.0655.04
label: accession number
content: 1981.0655
label: catalog number
content: 1981.0655.04
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Solar Cell Display
label: Object Name
content: photovoltaic display
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 13 in x 18 in x 6 in; 33.02 cm x 45.72 cm x 15.24 cm
label: Measurements
content: each cell panel: 4 in x 2 3/8 in x 1/8 in; 10.16 cm x 6.0325 cm x .3175 cm