Silicone solar cell

Made:
circa 1963 in Oldham
Ferranti silicon solar cell sample designed by Alan Bardsley c Ferranti silicon solar cell sample designed by Alan Bardsley c

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Ferranti silicon solar cell sample designed by Alan Bardsley c
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Ferranti silicon solar cell sample designed by Alan Bardsley c
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Ferranti silicon solar cell sample designed by Alan Bardsley c.1963

This object gives an insight into the early microcircuit and solar power industry in the UK.

Engineers and scientists at Ferranti were instrumental in the development of microchip and solar cell technology.

By the 1960s people began exploring ways of exploiting sunlight to provide electrical power in remote locations and for small devices.

Alan Bardsley was an engineer in the Semiconductor Division at Ferranti between 1956 and 1968. In 1969 he became Government liaison and contract negotiator of the Ferranti Semiconductor Division, where he worked until 1974 negotiating Government contracts for these new technologies. He contributed significantly to the development of microchip and solar cell technology at Ferranti.

Details

Category:
Electricity Supply
Object Number:
2015-2010
Materials:
Silicone and epoxy resin
Measurements:
overall: 23 mm x 152 mm x 216 mm,
type:
solar cell
credit:
Gift of Alan Bardsley