Photoelectric Effect?

[Gareth56]

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

 

Thanks

G56

[swansont]

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.

[Gareth56]

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

[swansont]

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.

[Gareth56]

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.

[Klaynos]

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