METHOD FOR PRODUCING PHOTOELECTROMOTIVE FORCE Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: voltage supplies including those depending for their operation on optical radiation energy. SUBSTANCE: method is characterized in that voltage can be built up across electrodes placed in gaseous medium composed of heavy inert gas and gaseous dopes by illuminating this medium with optical beams at frequencies coinciding with resonant frequencies of dope molecules. This effect depends on absolute negative conductance occurring in heavy inert gas medium. Gaseous dopes are used as sources of electrons which are results of chemoionization process in illuminated mixture. EFFECT: provision for developing simple devices of high selective sensitivity to optical radiation capable of producing high photoelectromotive forces of hundreds of volts and higher depending on chosen operating conditions in gas mixture.