2019-20

KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA DHULE

CLASS 12

PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

PHOTODIODE & ITS WORKING

Submitted by: Lokesh Sunil Mali

Roll No.: 1206
Class 12th
Teacher: Mr. Rahul Shirbate Sir
 ACKNOWLEGEMENT

I would like to express my immense gratitude to my

Physicsteacher Mr. Rahul Shirbate Sir, for the help and guidance
heprovided for completing the investigatory project. His
suggestions and instructions haveserved as the major contributor
towards thecompletion of the project.

I also thank my parents who have helped me with their valuable

suggestions & guidance and inputs in making this Project. Most
of all I thank our school management, for providing us the
facilities and opportunity to do this project.

Last but not least, I would like to thank my classmates who have
rendered and done this project along with me. Their support made
this project fruitful.

- Lokesh Mali
 INDEX

Introduction to a Photodiode
Working of Photodiode
Modes of operation
Materials Used
Types of Photodiodes
Features
Applications Of Photodiode
 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 bias it 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.
 Modes Of Operation
Photovoltaic mode
When used in zero bias or
photovoltaic mode, the flow of
photocurrent out of the device
is restricted and a voltage
builds up. The diode becomes
forward biased and "dark
current" begins to flow across
the junction in the direction
opposite to the photocurrent.
This mode is responsible for
the photovoltaic effect, which
is the basis for solar cells—in
fact, a solar cell is just an
array of large area
photodiodes.
Other Modes
Avalanche photodiodes are
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.
● ● ●
Photoconductive mode
In this mode the diode is often (but
not always) reverse biased. This
increases the width of the depletion
layer, which decreases the junction's
capacitance resulting in faster
response times. The reverse bias
induces only a small amount of
current (known as saturation or back
current) along its direction while the
photocurrent remains virtually the
same. The photocurrent is linearly
proportional to the illuminance.
Although this mode is faster, the
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
resistance in a typical circuit often
dominates.)
● ● ●
 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 photodiod es include

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 band gap,
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

Features The linearity of the diode is

good with respect to incident
light
These diodes are widely used in  Noise is low.
the applications where the
 The response is wide
detection of the presence of
spectral
light, color, position, intensity
is required. The main features  Rugged mechanically
of these diodes include the  Light weight and compact
following.
 Long life
 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.