What are electron-hole pairs in a lighted semiconductor?

In a semiconductor, an electron-hole pair is created when incident light provides sufficient energy to excite an electron from the valence band across the band gap and into the conduction band.12

This process results in two distinct charge carriers:
* Electron: The excited particle now residing in the conduction band, where it is relatively free to move and contribute to electrical conductivity.13
* Hole: The vacancy or "missing" negative charge left behind in the valence band. Because this vacancy represents a lack of negative charge, it behaves as a mobile positive charge.14

When a semiconductor is illuminated, these pairs increase the material's overall conductivity by providing additional charge carriers that can move under the influence of an electric field. In devices like photovoltaic cells, these electrons and holes are separated to generate a voltage, effectively converting light into electrical power.12