an electric current produced by electromagnetic radiation in the photoelectric effect, photovoltaic effect, or photoconductivity
photocurrent in American English
(ˈfoʊtoʊˌkɜrənt)
noun
a stream of electrons released from a photoelectric cell by the action of light
photocurrent in American English
(ˈfoutouˌkɜːrənt, -ˌkʌr-)
noun
Physics
an electric current produced by a photoelectric effect
Also called: photoelectric current
Word origin
[1910–15; photo- + current]This word is first recorded in the period 1910–15. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: coverage, grass roots, homeroom, isotope, spotlightphoto- is a combining form meaning “light” (photobiology); also used to represent “photographic” or “photograph” in the formation of compoundwords. Other words that use the affix photo- include: photocell, photochronograph, photogen, photogenic, photogravure
Examples of 'photocurrent' in a sentence
photocurrent
Activating these diodes produces a photocurrent, which in turn charges a storage capacitor.