SENSOR EXPERIMENT

PHOTODIODE
I. OBJECTIVES
● To become familiar with the structure and operating principle of photodiodes
● To discuss the different modes of operation of photodiodes
● To list down several applications of photodiodes
● To demonstrate the operation of photodiodes in photoconductive mode

II. THEORY
DEFINITION
A photodiode is a transducer that converts light into voltage or current
based on the operation of the device. It is basically a light detector that operates
by generating electron-hole pairs due to the absorption of light in the depletion
region. These diodes have a slow response time when the surface area of the
photodiode increases.

STRUCTURE AND SCHEMATIC SYMBOL

Most photodiodes look like regular light emitting diodes with two
terminals coming out from each end, with the shorter end as cathode terminal and
longer end as the anode terminal. The schematic symbol for photodiodes also
highly resembles that of an LED, but with arrows pointing towards the
cathode-anode junction. 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 PRINCIPLE
The working principle of a photodiode is, when a photon of ample energy
strikes the diode, it makes a couple of an electron-hole. This mechanism is also
called as the inner photoelectric effect. If the absorption arises in the depletion
region junction, then the carriers are removed from the junction by the inbuilt
electric field of the depletion region. Therefore, holes in the region move toward
the anode, and electrons move toward the cathode, and a photocurrent will be
generated. The entire current through the diode is the sum of the absence of light
and the photocurrent. So the absent current must be reduced to maximize the
sensitivity of the device.

A photodiode
continually
operates in a reverse bias mode. The characteristics of the photodiode are shown
clearly in the following figure, that the photocurrent is nearly independent of
reverse bias voltage which is applied. For zero luminance, the photocurrent is
almost zero excluding for small dark current. It is of the order of nano amperes.
As optical power rises the photo current also rises linearly. The max photocurrent
is incomplete by the power dissipation of the photo diode.

MODES OF OPERATION
 Photodiodes can be operated in different modes, which are as follows:
● Photovoltaic mode – It is also known as zero bias mode, in which a voltage is
generated by the illuminated photodiode. It provides a very small dynamic range
and non-linear dependence of the voltage produced
● Photoconductive mode - The diode used in this mode is more commonly reverse
biased. The application of reverse voltage increases the width of the depletion
layer, which in turn reduces the response time and capacitance of the junction.
This mode is very fast, and exhibits electronic noise
● Avalanche diode mode - Avalanche photodiodes are operated in a high reverse
bias condition, which allow multiplication of an avalanche breakdown to each
photo-generated electron-hole pair. This results in internal gain within the
photodiode, which gradually increases the responsivity of the device

III. MATERIALS NEEDED

1 BC547
2 330 ohms
1 5k ohms Potentiometer
1 5mm Photodiode
1 LED

IV. PROCEDURES
 1. Construct the circuit shown above.
2. Adjust the potentiometer until the LED is turned off. Record the value of
the potentiometer.
3. Record the value of VC and VB on the given table.
4. Calculate IB and record the value on the table.
5. Place a light source on the photodiode. Vary the distance of the light
source from the photodiode.
6. Repeat steps 3 and 4.
7. Compare the values of data for different distances of the light source.

V. TABLE
Condition Vc VB IB
Without light
source
With light source
Distance Vc
VI. QUESTIONS
1. What is a
photodiode?
2. What mode
of operation is used in this
experiment?
3. What is the function of the potentiometer in the circuit?
4. What happens if you increase the value of the potentiometer?
5. Does VC vary with the distance of the light source? Explain.

VII. CONCLUSION

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