"A New Form of Selenium Cell" in American Journal of Science.

FRITTS, Charles. **First Operational Solar Cell!**

Published by Dana, New Haven, 1883

About this Item

FRITTS, Charles. "A New Form of Selenium Cell" in American Journal of Science, 1883, Dana, New Haven, volume 23, pp 465-472 in the full volume of vii, 496, 3 folding plates. Newly rebound in calf-backed marbled boards, with new endpapers. Very pretty copy, with five small rubber stamps on the title page, including a 19th century stamp from the library at Carl Zeiss (Jena!). Lovely binding. FINE copy. "In 1875, English professor William Grylls Adams (1836 - 1915) and Richard Evans Day discovered that illuminating a junction between selenium and platinum produced a continuing flow of electricity, providing the first demonstration [1877] that an electric current could be produced by light.In 1883, using this discovery, American inventor Charles Fritts (1850-1903) demonstrated the first operational solar cell made from selenium deposited on a thin layer of gold. He published a brief summary of a presentation on his invention in A New Form of Selenium Cell (in American Journal of Science 26 pp. 465-472, 1883) [the paper offered here].Fritts demonstrated the feasibility but not the practicality of producing selenium solar cells, as their efficiency was less than 1%."--David Wenner, "The History of Physics Collection", p 607.

Seller Inventory # ABE-1700603754608

Bibliographic Details

• Title: "A New Form of Selenium Cell" in American Journal of Science.
• Publisher: Dana, New Haven
• Publication Date: 1883
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Fine
• Weight: 1 pound
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