Photoexcitation

Photoexcitation is the production of an excited state of a quantum system by photon absorption.

On the atomic and molecular scale photoexcitation is the photoelectrochemical process of electron excitation by photon absorption, when the energy of the photon is too low to cause photoionization. The absorption of the photon takes place in accordance with Planck's quantum theory.

Photoexcitation plays a role in photoisomerization and is exploited in dye-sensitized solar cells, photochemistry, luminescence, optically pumped lasers, and in some photochromic applications.

On the nuclear scale photoexcitation includes the production of nucleon and delta baryon resonances in nuclei.