The Caesium-Magnesium Photocell

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Abstract
The values of the work functions of the alkali metals and their color-sensitivity curves indicate definitely that caesium is the most favorable material for use in photocells.The practical difficulties of handling caesium metal have been overcome in the caesiummagnesium cell, in which a freshly evaporated coating of magnesium not only binds an invisible layer of caesium to the walls of the cell, but also provides an electrical connection with the cathode terminal.Average color-sensitivity curves are given for more than twenty cells. They show that the maximum sensitivity lies at about 4850A, as compared with 4400A for pure potassium, 5390A for pure caesium, and 5560A for the human eye.The photoelectric properties of the cell are detailed by means of response-voltage curves, response-illumination curves and illumination limit curves. The maximum response for vacuum type cells is about 2 microamperes per lumen, and for gas-filled cells about 25 microamperes per lumen under normal operating conditions.Several commercial applications are described. Further development work is now in progress.
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