I don't know the exact answer, but one should be able to calculate how effective this method would be. You are knocking out electrons from a crystal. Those el

I don't know the exact answer, but one should be able to calculate how effective this method would be. You are knocking out electrons from a crystal. Those electrons have to be replaced, so you are limited by the rate of replacement. Also heat generation from the current. My hand wavy gut feel is that optics wouldn't buy you that much. Silicon is orders of magnitude cheaper. To give you an idea, an infrared detector made of InGaAs about the size of a dime can already cost $5-10k. Solar cells of that size are priced in ... dollars? On the other hand, optics have been used for energy/storage in the form of a heating crucible. I've heard that promoted by some experts.