In this guide you are going to learn what a photodiode is, how it works, and more importantly, how you can use it in your own circuits. We'll go through the basics, then build a fully working fire sensor circuit! Contact online >>
In this guide you are going to learn what a photodiode is, how it works, and more importantly, how you can use it in your own circuits. We''ll go through the basics, then build a fully working fire sensor circuit!
Did you know that there are two different ways to use photodiodes? Both of them are straightforward once you''ve learned them, but one is more common than the other.
A photodiode is a diode that senses light. It has two legs and comes in various shapes and packaging. When light hits a photodiode, current flows through it in one of two ways: either a small current is created from the light, or the light allows a larger current to flow through.
The photodiode symbol looks like the symbol for the light-emitting diode, except that its arrows point inward.
When you operate a photodiode without any bias voltage, shining light on it generates a small voltage across its terminals.
If you connect a resistor across it, a very small current flows through the resistor. This is called photovoltaic mode and works best in low-frequency conditions (i.e. when the light does not turn on and off really fast).
On the other hand, when it is reverse biased, i.e. the anode is connected to the negative voltage and the cathode to the positive voltage, it is in photoconductive mode. In this mode, it works more like a switch. Light on the photodiode "closes the switch" and current flows through the photodiode:
In this mode, it can switch on and off much faster. Photodiodes are usually used in this mode.
That said, the circuit above isn’t really a practical one since the current through the diode will be tiny (typically a few microamperes).
Internally, a photodiode has a p-n junction, which is formed when a p-type semiconductor material is fused with an n-type semiconductor material. A p-type semiconductor material has holes as positive mobile charge carriers, while an n-type semiconductor material has electrons as negative mobile charge carriers.
Since the p-n junction has oppositely charged mobile carriers, they neutralize each other and form a depletion region at the juncture. It is called a depletion region because it is devoid of any mobile charge carriers. The part of the p-type material in the p-n junction is devoid of holes, so it becomes negatively charged. Similarly, the part of the n-type semiconductor in the p-n junction becomes positively charged.
When photons – or light – of sufficient energy fall on the p-n junction of the photodiode, they break and ionize the covalent bonds of the immobile atoms. This generates new electron-hole pairs. This phenomenon is called the photoelectric effect. The generated electrons are swept toward the n-type material (because the depletion region of the n-type material is positively charged). The holes are swept towards the p-type material (because the depletion region of the p-type material is negatively charged). This flow of charge leads to photocurrent or simply current.
In other words, a photodiode senses light and produces current as output. A photodiode is also called a photo sensor, photodetector, or light detector.
You can build your first photodiode circuit using just a few components on a breadboard. This circuit will sense fire and raise an alarm. The component list is:
When IR light (from a fire) falls on the reverse-biased photodiode, a current flows through it. This triggers the base terminal of the transistor. The BC547, which was previously off, switches on and starts conducting current between its collector and emitter terminals. This current also flows through the buzzer, producing an alarm, and triggering the LED to glow.
The LED-resistor pair is there to add a light indication in addition to the sound from the buzzer. If you want to keep the circuit simple, feel free to skip it.
Photodiodes can be used in a variety of ways, but the most commonly used circuits are the two below that use operational amplifiers (op-amps).
In the photovoltaic circuit, you connect the photodiode in forward-biased mode. The anode of the photodiode is connected to the non-inverting terminal and the cathode to the inverting terminal of the op-amp. When light falls on the photodiode, it generates a small voltage and current. The op-amp amplifies this and outputs a voltage. The size of the voltage depends on the value of the feedback resistor RF.
In the photoconductive circuit, you connect the photodiode in reverse-biased mode. In the circuit diagram above, VEE is a negative voltage. When light hits the photodiode, a small current passes through it, and an amplified voltage is available at the output.
In both cases, the op-amp is working as a trans-resistance amplifier or a current-to-voltage amplifier.
Check out this Arduino remote control project that uses a photodiode in photoconductive mode, packaged as a compact IR receiver.
There are four main types of photodiodes:
You can find photodiodes in most shops that sell electronic components. Check out our list of online electronic component shops.
The photodiode is very similar to the phototransistor. They are both light-triggered devices that are connected in the same way in a circuit.
The difference is that a phototransistor is a transistor with a photodiode connected to its base. When light hits the photodiode, current flows through the base, and the transistor turns on so that current can flow through it.
In most cases, a phototransistor is easier to work with.
Check out our beginner’s tutorial on the phototransistor.
The circuit for the photoconductive mode is incorrect. The + and – terminals of the op-amp should be swapped. Also note that the anode of the photodiode can go to ground, it doesn’t have to be Vee.
You’re right! I’ve updated it now. Thanks!
The text mentions ‘Vr’ but there’s no Vr on the diagram. I think you mean Vee.
This is the article author here. Yes, you are correct. I have requested the website owner through email to make the necessary corrections.
Electronics is easy when you know what to focus on and what to ignore. Learn what "the basics" really is and how to learn it fast.
A photodiode is a semiconductor diode sensitive to photon radiation, such as visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation, X-rays and gamma rays.[1] It produces an electrical current when it absorbs photons. This can be used for detection and measurement applications, or for the generation of electrical power in solar cells. Photodiodes are used in a wide range of applications throughout the electromagnetic spectrum from visible light photocells to gamma ray spectrometers.
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