verb
- to ionize (an atom or molecule) by the action of light or photons
Usage: technical; physics/chemistry
Examples
- Ultraviolet light photoionizes oxygen molecules in the upper atmosphere.
- The laser photoionizes the gas sample, creating free electrons and ions.
- When X-rays photoionize atoms, they eject inner-shell electrons.
- The experiment demonstrates how high-energy photons photoionize noble gases.
- Solar radiation photoionizes hydrogen atoms in the ionosphere.