Which process limits the maximum theoretical efficiency of a silicon photovoltaic cell under standard test conditions?

💡 Explanation

When photons with energies below the silicon band gap strike the cell, sub-bandgap transmission occurs because these photons lack sufficient energy to excite electrons across the band gap, and are therefore not absorbed or converted to electricity, limiting efficiency. Therefore photon transmission results, rather than heating or carrier recombination which are secondary effects requiring different driving factors.

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