Quantum Yield

Within the field of photochemistry, ‘quantum yield’ is a critical metric representing the efficiency of a photochemical reaction. It precisely quantifies the proportion of absorbed photons that result in a specific outcome, such as product formation or photon emission. More technically, it’s defined as the ratio of the number of events – like the creation of a new molecule or the release of another photon – to the total number of photons initially absorbed by the system. Therefore, a higher quantum yield indicates a more effective conversion of light energy into a desired chemical transformation, while a lower yield suggests that a significant portion of the absorbed light is lost through non-productive pathways.