In which one of the following devices, the light energy is converted into the electrical energy?

A solar cell, also known as a photovoltaic (PV) cell, is a device that directly converts light energy into electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect [1]. When sunlight, composed of photons, strikes the semiconductor material (typically silicon) within the cell, it transfers energy to electrons, knocking them loose from their atomic bonds [1]. This process creates electron-hole pairs, and an internal electric field forces these loose electrons to flow in a specific direction, thereby generating an electric current. While light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes perform the opposite function—converting electrical energy into light—the solar cell is specifically designed to harness solar radiation to produce usable electricity without moving parts. Transistors, conversely, act as switches or amplifiers for electrical signals rather than energy converters.

Sources

1. [1] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 22: Renewable Energy > 22.1 SOLAR ENERGY > p. 288