Ionization of Molecular Excitons

As a study of the role of photons in the creation of charge carriers, we considered the relative rate of ionization of molecular excitons through the absorption of photons compared to the two-exciton autoionization mechanism. The ratio is estimated to be less than 4×10—2 in Silver's experiment on photoconduction. We also considered a general case in which two beams of light are used. A simple formula is obtained when one of the beams is incapable of creating excitons but capable of ionizing excitons.