Term: photovoltaic cell https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04659 Definition: A solid state device, usually a semiconductor such as silicon, which absorbs photons with energies higher than or equal to the bandgap energy and simultaneously produces electric power. Related Terms: 1) photogalvanic cell (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04615). 2) semiconductor (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.S05591). 3) bandgap energy (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.B00593). 4) power (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04792). Source: PAC, 1991, 63, 569. 'Terminology in semiconductor electrochemistry and photoelectrochemical energy conversion (Recommendations 1991)' on page 593 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199163040569) Citation: 'photovoltaic cell' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04659 License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms. Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.