Hnub ci hlwb, tseem hu ua" hnub ci chips" lossis" photocells", yog cov ntawv hluav taws xob photoelectric semiconductor uas siv lub hnub ci ua hluav taws xob ncaj qha. Ntev npaum li nws tau raug rau lub teeb uas ua tau raws li qee yam ntawm lub teeb pom kev zoo, nws tuaj yeem tso tawm hluav taws xob tam sim ntawd thiab tsim tawm tam sim no thaum muaj lub voj. Hauv physics, nws hu ua photovoltaic (Photovoltaic, hais luv li PV), lossis photovoltaic kom luv.
Hnub ci hlwb yog cov khoom siv uas hloov ncaj qha lub teeb lub zog rau hauv hluav taws xob lub zog los ntawm cov nyhuv photoelectric lossis cov nyhuv photochemical. Crystalline silicon solar cells uas ua haujlwm nrog cov nyhuv photovoltaic yog qhov tseem ceeb, thaum kev siv ntawm cov hnub ci hlwb nrog cov nyias-zaj duab xis hlwb uas ua haujlwm nrog cov nyhuv photochemical tseem nyob hauv nws kiag.