The Photodiode.
Photo-diode
The construction of the Photodiode light sensor is similar to that of a conventional PN-junction diode except that the diodes outer casing is either transparent or has a clear lens to focus the light onto the PN junction for increased sensitivity. The junction will respond to light particularly longer wavelengths such as red and infra-red rather than visible light.
This characteristic can be a problem for diodes with transparent or glass bead bodies such as the 1N4148 signal diode. LED’s can also be used as photodiodes as they can both emit and detect light from their junction. All PN-junctions are light sensitive and can be used in a photo-conductive unbiased voltage mode with the PN-junction of the photodiode always “Reverse Biased” so that only the diodes leakage or dark current can flow.
The current-voltage characteristic (I/V Curves) of a photodiode with no light on its junction (dark mode) is very similar to a normal signal or rectifying diode. When the photodiode is forward biased, there is an exponential increase in the current, the same as for a normal diode. When a reverse bias is applied, a small reverse saturation current appears which causes an increase of the depletion region, which is the sensitive part of the junction. Photodiodes can also be connected in a current mode using a fixed bias voltage across the junction. The current mode is very linear over a wide range.
Photo-diode Construction and Characteristics
When used as a light sensor, a photodiodes dark current (0 lux) is about 10uA for geranium and 1uA for silicon type diodes. When light falls upon the junction more hole/electron pairs are formed and the leakage current increases. This leakage current increases as the illumination of the junction increases.
Thus, the photodiodes current is directly proportional to light intensity falling onto the PN-junction. One main advantage of photodiodes when used as light sensors is their fast response to changes in the light levels, but one disadvantage of this type of photodevice is the relatively small current flow even when fully lit.
The following circuit shows a photo-current-to-voltage converter circuit using an operational amplifier as the amplifying device. The output voltage (Vout) is given as Vout = Ip × Rf and which is proportional to the light intensity characteristics of the photodiode.
This type of circuit also utilizes the characteristics of an operational amplifier with two input terminals at about zero voltage to operate the photodiode without bias. This zero-bias op-amp configuration gives a high impedance loading to the photodiode resulting in less influence by dark current and a wider linear range of the photocurrent relative to the radiant light intensity. Capacitor Cf is used to prevent oscillation or gain peaking and to set the output bandwidth (1/2πRC).
Photo-diode Amplifier Circuit
Photodiodes are very versatile light sensors that can turn its current flow both “ON” and “OFF” in nanoseconds and are commonly used in cameras, light meters, CD and DVD-ROM drives, TV remote controls, scanners, fax machines and copiers etc, and when integrated into operational amplifier circuits as infrared spectrum detectors for fibre optic communications, burglar alarm motion detection circuits and numerous imaging, laser scanning and positioning systems etc.
The Phototransistor
Photo-transistor
An alternative photo-junction device to the photodiode is the Phototransistor which is basically a photodiode with amplification. The Phototransistor light sensor has its collector-base PN-junction reverse biased exposing it to the radiant light source.
Phototransistors operate the same as the photodiode except that they can provide current gain and are much more sensitive than the photodiode with currents are 50 to 100 times greater than that of the standard photodiode and any normal transistor can be easily converted into a phototransistor light sensor by connecting a photodiode between the collector and base.
Phototransistors consist mainly of a bipolar NPN Transistor with its large base region electrically unconnected, although some phototransistors allow a base connection to control the sensitivity, and which uses photons of light to generate a base current which in turn causes a collector to emitter current to flow. Most phototransistors are NPN types whose outer casing is either transparent or has a clear lens to focus the light onto the base junction for increased sensitivity.
Photo-transistor Construction and Characteristics
In the NPN transistor the collector is biased positively with respect to the emitter so that the base/collector junction is reverse biased. therefore, with no light on the junction normal leakage or dark current flows which is very small. When light falls on the base more electron/hole pairs are formed in this region and the current produced by this action is amplified by the transistor.
Usually the sensitivity of a phototransistor is a function of the DC current gain of the transistor. Therefore, the overall sensitivity is a function of collector current and can be controlled by connecting a resistance between the base and the emitter but for very high sensitivity optocoupler type applications, Darlington phototransistors are generally used.
Photo-darlington
Photodarlington transistors use a second bipolar NPN transistor to provide additional amplification or when higher sensitivity of a photodetector is required due to low light levels or selective sensitivity, but its response is slower than that of an ordinary NPN phototransistor.
Photo darlington devices consist of a normal phototransistor whose emitter output is coupled to the base of a larger bipolar NPN transistor. Because a darlington transistor configuration gives a current gain equal to a product of the current gains of two individual transistors, a photodarlington device produces a very sensitive detector.
Typical applications of Phototransistors light sensors are in opto-isolators, slotted opto switches, light beam sensors, fibre optics and TV type remote controls, etc. Infrared filters are sometimes required when detecting visible light.
Another type of photojunction semiconductor light sensor worth a mention is the Photo-thyristor. This is a light activated thyristor or Silicon Controlled Rectifier, SCRthat can be used as a light activated switch in AC applications. However their sensitivity is usually very low compared to equivalent photodiodes or phototransistors.
To help increase their sensitivity to light, photo-thyristors are made thinner around the gate junction. The downside to this process is that it limits the amount of anode current that they can switch. Then for higher current AC applications they are used as pilot devices in opto-couplers to switch larger more conventional thyristors.