Cong Nguyen S05 Topic: Discuss the photoelectric effect and its common application When light or electromagnetic

wave with sufficiently high frequency incidents upon a metal surface, electrons are emitted from the metal surface. This emission of electrons is called the photoelectric effect. The common applications of photoelectric effect discussed in this essay include burglar alarm, smoke detectors, charged-coupled devices used in imaging applications, solar cells and photomultiplier tube.

Light can behave as particles as well as waves. These particles are called photons. As the photon strikes the metal surface with sufficient energy, it gives the electrons on the metal surface some energy and the electrons may be freed from the metal. Each metal requires a minimum frequency which below light cannot cause electrons to be emitted. This frequency is called the threshold frequency f0. When emitted from the metal surface, each electron will have a kinetic energy from 0. The unit of kinetic energy of an electron is measured in electron-Volt (eV) which the electron gained when accelerated through 1V of potential difference in the circuit. The maximum kinetic energy of an emitted electron on a metal plate is obtained by hooking up the photoelectric cell to a variable voltage bench. Photoelectric cells consist of a semi-cylinder metal plate with a straight wire running down its axis. The assembly is contained in evacuated quartz. The metal plate is connected to the positive pole of the battery and the straight wire is usually connected to the negative pole of the battery. When a sufficient frequency of light is irradiated onto the metal plate, electrons are emitted from the plate and flow through the wire. The circuit is closed and the potential difference of the circuit drops to 0. If the potential difference of the circuit increases from 0, the current drops because the positive pole of the

battery is preventing the electrons from reaching the straight wire. This situation is called reversal potential difference. Each metal surface has a minimum energy required to remove electrons from the surface. This minimum energy is the work function of each metal, measured in eV with a positive value. Initially, electrons have a potential energy below 0eV so it is attracted to the protons inside the metal. The maximum potential electron potential energy is the negative of each metals work function. Therefore, for an electron to escape from the metal, it must have a potential energy larger or equal to 0eV. The threshold frequency of each metal is determined by work function of the metal divided by Plancks constant 6.63x10-34. Burglar alarms are installed with one side of the doorway embedded a photoelectric cell. Other side is embedded with a source of invisible UV light. Under the influence of UV light, a current flows through the circuit. When a body breaks the beam, the current momentarily drops to 0, triggers another circuit and cause the bell to ring. This also used in automatic door opener. Photoelectric effect is also used in smoke detectors. Without smoke, light is shot straight across and misses the sensor. With smoke, light is scattered and some hits the sensor, which sets off the alarm. The type of detector works well when there is a lot of smoke, like smoulder mattress.

Cameras, photocopiers utilised the photoelectric effect in charged coupled devices CCD, where a grid of little metal pixels become charged when illuminated. When light is shone, electrons emit and are captured in a potential well in the chip. Differences in intensity of the light are recorded by how many electrons are captured. The wells are then transferred to a data processor to form an image.

Photoelectric effect is used in solar cells where sunlight with photons hit the front layer of the cell and the electrons are attracted towards the other layer, which create a current flow and therefore create electricity.

Lastly, photoelectric effect is used in photomultiplier tube where series of metal plate are arranged in such a way those photons are reflected and electrons are multiplied. These devices are capable of detecting extremely low intensity of radiation. They are used in electric eye devices, used in nuclear research labs with scintillators to detect radiation and physics labs to measure intensity and spectrum of light emitting material such as semi-conductors and quantum dots.

Photoelectric effect describes the emission of electrons when light or electromagnetic wave with sufficient frequency strikes the metal surface. There exists a minimum frequency of radiation called threshold frequency below which no emission occurs no matter how intense the irradiating radiation. The emission of electrons is instantaneous no matter how weak the intensity. The current is independent from frequency and directly proportional to the intensity. Applications of photoelectric effect are widely used in everyday life: smoke detectors, automatic door opener, burglar alarms, CCD in imaging devices, solar cells and photomultiplier and nuclear plants.