Is the Photoelectric effect the same thing as the Photovoltaic effect? If not what are the differences?

 

Thanks

G56

Same concept, but somewhat different application. In the photoelectric effect you ionize an atom. Photovoltaics use semiconductors that have a conduction band, and the photon can excite an electron into it. Same concept, but for a more complex system.

Thanks. Did Einstein do work on both applications or was it just the Photoelectric effect that he worked on?

AFAIK it was just the photoelectric effect, but I don't have the paper in front of me. I don't think semiconductor band structure was being investigated at the time.

That's what I thought but someone I know is claiming that he won the NP for both discoveries but only received one prize! Personally I think he's confused but just wanted confirmation from more learned people.

Einstein's Nobel prize was given for the following:

 

for his services to Theoretical Physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect