photoelectric

Sometimes pho·to·e·lec·tri·cal

[foh-toh-i-lek-trik]

adjective

1. pertaining to the electronic or other electric effects produced by light.

photoelectric

/ ˌfəʊtəʊɪˈlɛktrɪk, ˌfəʊtəʊɪlɛkˈtrɪsɪtɪ /

adjective

1. of or concerned with electric or electronic effects caused by light or other electromagnetic radiation

photoelectric

1. Relating to or exhibiting to electrical effects upon exposure to light. For example, some photoelectric materials emit electrons called photoelectrons upon exposure to certain frequencies of light; others, such as photoresistors and phototransistors, change their electrical properties.

2. See also photoelectric effect

Other Word Forms

• photoelectrically adverb
• photoelectricity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of photoelectric¹

First recorded in 1860–65; photo- + electric

Example Sentences

This technology can enhance photoelectric conversion efficiency to over 30% when used alongside existing silicon solar cells, thereby increasing the possibility of replacing fossil fuel-based energy sources and contributing to the achievement of carbon neutrality.

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QDs are semiconducting nanocrystals with typical dimensions ranging from several to tens of nanometers, capable of controlling photoelectric properties based on their particle size.

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At Cal Tech, physicist Robert Millikan brought home the first of Southern California’s dozens of Nobel Prizes “for his work on the elementary charge of electricity and on the photoelectric effect.”

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There are two main types of alarm sensors: ionization and photoelectric.

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This paper—which explained the photoelectric effect, brought quantum mechanics into the mainstream.

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