Introduction

What is a Photodiode?
A photodiode is a PN-junction diode (Semiconductor Device) that consumes light
energy to produce electric currentor voltage based on the mode of operation of
the device. Sometimes it is also called as photo-detector, a light detector, and
photo-sensor.The current is generated when photons are absorbed in the
photodiode. Photodiodes may contain optical
filters, built-in lenses, and may have
large or small surface areas.These diodes
have a slow response time as the surface
area of the photodiode increases.The
common, traditional solar cell used to
generate electric solar power is a large
area photodiode whichworks only in bright
light.

Photodiodes are similar to

regular semiconductor diodes except that
they may be either exposed (to
detect vacuum UV or X-rays) or packaged
with a window or optical fiber connection to
allow light to reach the sensitive part of the
device. Many diodes designed for use
specially as a photodiode use a PIN
junction rather than a p–n junction, to
increase the speed of response. A photodiode
is designed to operate in reverse biasit means
that the P-side of the photodiode is
associated with the -ve terminal of the
battery and n-side is connected to the +ve
terminal of the battery.

Some photodiodes will look like a light

emitting diode. They have two terminals
coming from the end. The smaller end of the
diode is the cathode terminal,
while the longer end of the
diode is the anode terminal.
See the following schematic
diagram for the anode and
cathode side. Under forward
bias condition, conventional
current will flow from the
anode to the cathode,
following the arrow in the
diode symbol. Photocurrent
flows in the reverse direction.

Working of a Photodiode
A photodiode is a p–n junction or PIN structure. When a photon of sufficient energy strikes
the diode, it creates an electron–hole pair. This mechanism is also known as the
inner photoelectric effect. If the absorption occurs in the junction's depletion region, or one
diffusion length away from it, these
carriers are swept from the junction
by the built-in electric field of the
depletion region. Thus holes move
toward the anode, and electrons
toward the cathode, and
a photocurrent is produced. The
total current through the photodiode
is the sum of the dark current
(current that is generated in the
absence of light) and the
photocurrent, so the dark current
must be minimized to maximize the
sensitivity of the device.
 Photovoltaic mode
● ● ●
When used in zero bias or
Photoconductive mode
photovoltaic mode, the flow of
In this mode the diode is often (but
photocurrent out of the device
not always) reverse biased. This
is restricted and a voltage
increases the width of the depletion
builds up. The diode becomes
layer, which decreases the junction's
forward biased and "dark
capacitance resulting in faster
current" begins to flow across
response times. The reverse bias
the junction in the direction
induces only a small amount of
opposite to the photocurrent.
current (known as saturation or back
This mode is responsible for
current) along its direction while the
the photovoltaic effect, which
photocurrent remains virtually the
is the basis for solar cells—in
same. The photocurrent is linearly
fact, a solar cell is just an
proportional to the illuminance.
array of large area
Although this mode is faster, the
photodiodes.
photovoltaic mode tends to exhibit
less electronic noise.

(The leakage current of a good PIN

diode is so low – < 1nA – that the
Johnson–Nyquist noise of the load
Other Modes resistance in a typical circuit often
Avalanche photodiodes are dominates.)
photodiodes with structure optimized for
operating with high reverse bias, ● ● ●
approaching the reverse breakdown
voltage. This allows each photo-
generated carrier to be multiplied
by avalanche breakdown, resulting in
internal gain within the photodiode,
which increases the
effective responsivity of the device.
 Materials Used
The material used to make a photodiode is
critical to defining its properties, because
only photons with sufficient energy to
excite electrons across the
material's bandgap will produce significant
photocurrents.

Materials commonly used to produce

photodiodes include:[8]

Electromagnetic spectrum
Material
wavelength range (nm)

Silicon 190–1100

Germanium 400–1700

Indium gallium arsenide 800–2600

Lead(II) sulfide <1000–3500

Mercury cadmium telluride 400–14000

Because of their greater bandgap, silicon-based photodiodes generate less noise

than germanium-based photodiodes.
 Types of Photodiode
The working of different types of photodiodes is slightly different, but the
basic operation of these diodes remains the same. It can be classified based
on its construction and functions as follows.

 PN Photodiode

 Schottky Photo Diode

 PIN Photodiode

 Avalanche Photodiode

Features

The linearity of the diode is

good with respect to incident
Features light

 Noise is low.
These diodes are widely used in  The response is wide
the applications where the spectral
detection of the presence of
 Rugged mechanically
light, color, position, intensity
is required. The main features  Light weight and compact
of these diodes include the  Long life
following.
 Applications of Photodiode
The applications of photodiodes involve in similar applications of
photodetectors like charge-coupled devices, photoconductors, and
photomultiplier tubes.

These diodes are used in consumer electronics devices like smoke detectors,
compact disc players, and televisions and remote controls in VCRs.

In other consumer devices like clock radios, camera light meters, and street
lights, photoconductors are more frequently used rather than photodiodes.

Photodiodes are frequently used for exact measurement of the intensity of

light in science & industry. Generally, they have an enhanced, more linear
response than photoconductors.

Photodiodes are also widely used in numerous medical applications like

instruments to analyze samples, detectors for computed tomography and
also used in blood gas monitors.

These diodes are much faster & more complex than normal PN junction
diodes and hence are frequently used for lighting regulation and in optical
communications.