The maximum current that a solar cell can produce occurs when a wire is connected across the terminals. This is called the short-circuit current, or Isc. Like a wire, an ammeter has very low resistance, so will register a measurement similar to a short circuit. Note the Isc through the solar cell.
Typical IV curve of a solar cell plotted using current density, highlighting the short-circuit current density (Jsc), open-circuit voltage (Voc), current and voltage at maximum power (JMP and VMP respectively), maximum power point (PMax), and fill factor (FF).. The properties highlighted in the figure are:
The behavior of an illuminated solar cell can be characterized by an I-V curve. Interconnecting several solar cells in series or in parallel merely to form Solar Panels increases the overall voltage and/or current but does not change the shape of the I-V curve.
The short-circuit current (I SC) is the current through the solar cell when the voltage across the solar cell is zero (i.e., when the solar cell is short circuited). Usually written as ISC, the short-circuit current is shown on the IV curve below. I is due to the generation and collection of light-generated carriers. For an ideal PV cell with
Solar cells transfer energy from the photons in sunlight to the electrons in the solar cell. The more photons of sunlight absorbed by the solar cell, the greater the electric current. That’s why the short-circuit current depends so strongly on the orientation of the solar cell.
Hi, yes I just added a picture. It helps to understand that a solar cell is just an ordinary silicon diode (but awfully wide). It has the same curve. As it generates current, the voltage rises. As the voltage rises, the diode starts to conduct (above 0.4V), and shorts itself out. This limits the voltage.