Fast photoelectric effect

Hagins, W.A. and Riippel, H., Fast photoelectric effects and the properties of vertebrate photoreceptors as electric cables. Fed. Proc., 30, 64,1971. 

Hagins, W.A. and McGaughy, R.E., Molecular and thermal origins of fast photoelectric effects in the squid retina. Science, 157, 813,1967. 

The Daly detector uses a photomultiplier rather than an electron multiplier. Ions leaving the analyzer are directed onto a conversion dynode, and the ejected electrons are accelerated onto a plate coated with a fast-acting scintillant. Each electron releases a photon from the scintillant. The photons then enter a photomultiplier tube and impact on a photocathode, producing electrons (photoelectric effect) and initiating an electron cascade (Pigure 2.40). The output from the photomultiplier is further amplified electronically, similarly to the output of dynode type electron multipliers. The level of amplification is similar to that of electron multipliers. Photomultiplier tubes last longer than electron multipliers, but the scintillant-coated plates require replacement every few years. 

This process of creation of photons from the energy of fast-moving electrons is called the inverse photoelectric effect. 

Michaile, S. and Hong, F.X, Component analysis of the fast photoelectric signal from model bacteriorhodopsin membranes. Part I. Effect of multilayer stacking and prolonged drying, Bioelectrochem. Bioenerg., 33,135, 1994. 

Absorption of y-rays in a system will cause the formation of fast electrons by Compton scattering, by pair production, and by photoelectric absorption. Therefore, looking upon chemical effects brought about by p- and y-rays we will have to consider similar primary processes. Differences are mainly due to different absorption characteristics (half-thickness values) of organic matter for the (J- and y-rays 548,549,562). 

---