photoelectric

American  

[foh-toh-i-lek-trik] / ˌfoʊ toʊ ɪˈlɛk trɪk /

Sometimes photoelectrical

adjective

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

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photoelectric British  

/ ˌfəʊtəʊɪˈlɛktrɪk, ˌfəʊtəʊɪlɛkˈtrɪsɪtɪ /

adjective

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

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photoelectric Scientific  

/ fō′tō-ĭ-lĕk′trĭk /

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

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Other Word Forms

• photoelectrically adverb
• photoelectricity noun

Etymology

Origin of photoelectric

First recorded in 1860–65; photo- + electric

Example Sentences

When such particles enter a chamber in the device, they scatter light from a small light source, which is then picked up by a photoelectric sensor.

From BBC

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.

From Science Daily

PQDs, in particular, have garnered significant attention from researchers due to their outstanding photoelectric properties.

From Science Daily

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.”

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Washington Post