Einstein won the Nobel Prize for explaining the photoelectric effect, not for his work on gravity and spacetime.
Photoelectric Effect: Early 20th-century physicists discovered that when metal is exposed to light, it emits electrons.
The kinetic energy of these electrons depended on the light's frequency, not intensity.
In 1905, Einstein proposed that light consists of particles called photons.
When a photon has enough energy, it can eject an electron from the metal.
The photoelectric effect is fundamental to solar power.
Solar cells use photons to eject electrons and generate electric current.
To study the photoelectric effect, physicists developed ultrashort light pulses.
Recent Nobel Prize winners created attosecond pulses (10^-18 seconds) for studying faster-moving electrons.
Researchers use attosecond pulses to study photoionisation delays and other electronic behaviors at extremely short timescales.
Applications:
Understanding photoemission delays and electron correlation helps in imaging proteins and viruses and developing next-generation electronics.
Future Implications: Basic research in this area promises practical applications and a deeper understanding of biochemical reactions and material properties.
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