photoelectron

American

[foh-toh-i-lek-tron] / ˌfoʊ toʊ ɪˈlɛk trɒn /

noun

Physics.

an electron emitted from a system by the photoelectric effect.

photoelectron British

/ ˌfəʊtəʊɪˈlɛktrɒn /

noun

an electron ejected from an atom, molecule, or solid by an incident photon

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

photoelectron Scientific

/ fō′tō-ĭ-lĕk′trŏn′ /

An electron released or ejected from a photoelectric substance, having absorbed energy from incoming light.

Etymology

Origin of photoelectron

First recorded in 1910–15; photo- + electron

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The team confirmed the precise placement of nitrogen groups using techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and computational modeling.

From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2026

With X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ORNL's Harry Meyer III confirmed what molecules attached to fiber surfaces.

From Science Daily • Feb. 8, 2024

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies at NSLS-II revealed the impact of the magnesium coating on limiting the formation of tantalum oxide.

From Science Daily • Feb. 5, 2024

These interfaces include large surface area junctions between photoelectron donors and acceptors, the intralayer grain boundaries within the absorber, and the interfaces between photoactive layers and the top and bottom contacts.

From Nature • Aug. 15, 2012

The dye injects an excited photoelectron into the electrode and is recharged through an infiltrated electrolyte.

From Nature • Aug. 15, 2012

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023