PHOTODETECTOR
PRESENTED BY
GIRISH HARMUKH
M.Sc. ELECTRONICS
Contents
Introduction
Basic requirements of a photodetector
Types of photodetector
(a)-Photoconductive photodetector
(b)-Junction photodetector
Application of photodector
Reference
INTRODUCTION
TYPES OF PHOTODETECTOR
Photoconductive Detector
Junction photodetector
Photoconductive Detector
Photoconductive photodetector widely known as light dependent
Resistor (LDR). On light incidence the electrical conductivity and
Hence the resistance of the device changes from several mega ohm (in
dark condition) to few kilo ohm (in light condition) and thereby detects
The presence of light and its intensity.
JUNCTION PHOTODETECTOR
P-n Junction photodiode
PIN Photodiode
There are several types of junction photodetector
Avalanche Photodiode
Schottky photodiode
P-n Junction photodiode
In general p-n junction diode like current rectification can also
Be used for light detection purpose
Photodetectors
Absorption Coefficient and Photodiode Materials
][
24.1
][
eVE
m
g
g =µλ
 Absorbed Photon create Electron-Hole Pair.
Cut-off wavelength
vs. Energy bandgap

Absorption Coefficient
Direct bandgap semiconductors
(GaAs, InAs, InP, GaSb, InGaAs,
GaAsSb), the photon absorption
does not require assistant from
lattice vibrations. The photon is
absorbed and the electron is
excited directly from the VB to CB
without a change in its k-vector
(crystal momentum ħk), since
photon momentum is very small.
10
E
CB
VB
k–k
Direct Bandgap Eg Photon
Ec
Ev
(a) GaAs (Direct bandgap)
(a) Photon absorption in a direct band
in an indirect bandgap semiconductor
© 1999 S.O. Kasap, Optoelectronics (Prentic
0momentumphotonVBCB
≈=− kk 
 Absorption coefficient α for direct bandgap semiconductors
rise sharply with decreasing wavelength from λg (GaAs and
InP).
Absorption Coefficient
Indirect bandgap
semiconductors (Si and Ge),
the photon absorption
requires assistant from lattice
vibrations (phonon). If K is
wave vector of lattice wave,
then ħK represents the
momentum associated with
lattice vibration is a phonon
momentum.
11
E
CB
VB
k–k
Direct Bandgap Eg Photon
Ec
Ev
(a) GaAs (Direct bandgap)
E
k–k
(b) Si (Indirect bandgap)
VB
CB
Ec
Ev
Indirect Bandgap, Eg
Photon
Phonon
(a) Photon absorption in a direct bandgap semiconductor. (b) Photon absorption
in an indirect bandgap semiconductor (VB, valence band; CB, conduction band)
© 1999 S.O. Kasap, Optoelectronics (Prentice Hall)
 Thus the probability of photon absorption is not as high as in a
direct transition and the λg is not as sharp as for direct bandgap
semiconductors.
Photodetectors
Absorption Coefficient and Photodiode Materials
E
CB
VB
k–k
Direct Bandgap Eg
E
k–k
VB
CB
Indirect Bandgap
Photon
Phonons
Photon absorption in
an indirect bandgap semiconductor
EgEC
EV
EC
EV
Photon absorption in
a direct bandgap semiconductor.
Photon
Photodetectors
Quantum Efficiency and Responsivity
ν
η
hP
eI
photonsincidnetofNumber
collectedandgeberatedEHPofNumber ph
0
==
 External Quantum Efficiency
0(W)
(A)
P
I
PowerOpticalIncident
ntPhotocurre
R
ph
==
 Responsivity
ch
e
h
e
R
λ
η
ν
η == Spectral Responsivity

The pin Photodiode
The pn junction photodiode has
two drawbacks:
Depletion layer capacitance is not
sufficiently small to allow
photodetection at high modulation
frequencies (RC time constant
limitation).
Narrow SCL (at most a few microns)
 long wavelengths incident photons
are absorbed outside SCL  low QE
The pin photodiode can
significantly reduce these
problems.
14
 Reverse-biased p-i-n photodiode
Photodetectors
The pin Photodiode
 pin energy-band diagram
 pin photodiode circuit
Avalanche Photodiode
The avalnche photodiode is another n+p-I-p+ which provides very
High gain 200 and can detect even very low level of light.due to theas
Reasons,this detector is widely used in dedicated optical communication.
The thickness of I-region is very large as compared with the other region
Of device,so that the incoming light quickly passes through n+ and p
Layers and spend major time in this region creating large electron and
hole pairs.this is known as absorption region of the device.
Avalanche Photodiode
Avalanche Photodiode
h+
πn+
p
e–
Avalanche region
E
e-
h+
Ec
Ev
 Impact ionization processes
resulting avalanche multiplication
 Impact of an energetic electron's kinetic energy
excites VB electron to the CV.
SCHOTTKY PHOTODIODE
Schottky photodiode is one of the simple metal semiconductor
Junction .the advantage of this type of photodiode isits high
Speed which arises from the facts it is a majority carrier device
And its depletion layer is one sided only (n side).
SCHOTTKY PHOTODIODE
Phototransistor
This is a special class of photodetector.like avalanche photodiode,photo-
-transistor which provides high gain,the device on receiving a weak
Signal amplifies internally and then passes on its output terminal.
APPLICATION
In Fiber optics coomunication
In camera
Many medical device
Bar code sensor
In security system
Reference
Optoelectronics and optical fiber sensors by Asit baran maity.PHI pub.
Photo-detector by GIRISH HARMUKH

Photo-detector by GIRISH HARMUKH

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Contents Introduction Basic requirements ofa photodetector Types of photodetector (a)-Photoconductive photodetector (b)-Junction photodetector Application of photodector Reference
  • 3.
  • 5.
    TYPES OF PHOTODETECTOR PhotoconductiveDetector Junction photodetector
  • 6.
    Photoconductive Detector Photoconductive photodetectorwidely known as light dependent Resistor (LDR). On light incidence the electrical conductivity and Hence the resistance of the device changes from several mega ohm (in dark condition) to few kilo ohm (in light condition) and thereby detects The presence of light and its intensity.
  • 7.
    JUNCTION PHOTODETECTOR P-n Junctionphotodiode PIN Photodiode There are several types of junction photodetector Avalanche Photodiode Schottky photodiode
  • 8.
    P-n Junction photodiode Ingeneral p-n junction diode like current rectification can also Be used for light detection purpose
  • 9.
    Photodetectors Absorption Coefficient andPhotodiode Materials ][ 24.1 ][ eVE m g g =µλ  Absorbed Photon create Electron-Hole Pair. Cut-off wavelength vs. Energy bandgap 
  • 10.
    Absorption Coefficient Direct bandgapsemiconductors (GaAs, InAs, InP, GaSb, InGaAs, GaAsSb), the photon absorption does not require assistant from lattice vibrations. The photon is absorbed and the electron is excited directly from the VB to CB without a change in its k-vector (crystal momentum ħk), since photon momentum is very small. 10 E CB VB k–k Direct Bandgap Eg Photon Ec Ev (a) GaAs (Direct bandgap) (a) Photon absorption in a direct band in an indirect bandgap semiconductor © 1999 S.O. Kasap, Optoelectronics (Prentic 0momentumphotonVBCB ≈=− kk   Absorption coefficient α for direct bandgap semiconductors rise sharply with decreasing wavelength from λg (GaAs and InP).
  • 11.
    Absorption Coefficient Indirect bandgap semiconductors(Si and Ge), the photon absorption requires assistant from lattice vibrations (phonon). If K is wave vector of lattice wave, then ħK represents the momentum associated with lattice vibration is a phonon momentum. 11 E CB VB k–k Direct Bandgap Eg Photon Ec Ev (a) GaAs (Direct bandgap) E k–k (b) Si (Indirect bandgap) VB CB Ec Ev Indirect Bandgap, Eg Photon Phonon (a) Photon absorption in a direct bandgap semiconductor. (b) Photon absorption in an indirect bandgap semiconductor (VB, valence band; CB, conduction band) © 1999 S.O. Kasap, Optoelectronics (Prentice Hall)  Thus the probability of photon absorption is not as high as in a direct transition and the λg is not as sharp as for direct bandgap semiconductors.
  • 12.
    Photodetectors Absorption Coefficient andPhotodiode Materials E CB VB k–k Direct Bandgap Eg E k–k VB CB Indirect Bandgap Photon Phonons Photon absorption in an indirect bandgap semiconductor EgEC EV EC EV Photon absorption in a direct bandgap semiconductor. Photon
  • 13.
    Photodetectors Quantum Efficiency andResponsivity ν η hP eI photonsincidnetofNumber collectedandgeberatedEHPofNumber ph 0 ==  External Quantum Efficiency 0(W) (A) P I PowerOpticalIncident ntPhotocurre R ph ==  Responsivity ch e h e R λ η ν η == Spectral Responsivity 
  • 14.
    The pin Photodiode Thepn junction photodiode has two drawbacks: Depletion layer capacitance is not sufficiently small to allow photodetection at high modulation frequencies (RC time constant limitation). Narrow SCL (at most a few microns)  long wavelengths incident photons are absorbed outside SCL  low QE The pin photodiode can significantly reduce these problems. 14
  • 15.
     Reverse-biased p-i-nphotodiode Photodetectors The pin Photodiode  pin energy-band diagram  pin photodiode circuit
  • 16.
    Avalanche Photodiode The avalnchephotodiode is another n+p-I-p+ which provides very High gain 200 and can detect even very low level of light.due to theas Reasons,this detector is widely used in dedicated optical communication. The thickness of I-region is very large as compared with the other region Of device,so that the incoming light quickly passes through n+ and p Layers and spend major time in this region creating large electron and hole pairs.this is known as absorption region of the device.
  • 17.
  • 18.
    Avalanche Photodiode h+ πn+ p e– Avalanche region E e- h+ Ec Ev Impact ionization processes resulting avalanche multiplication  Impact of an energetic electron's kinetic energy excites VB electron to the CV.
  • 19.
    SCHOTTKY PHOTODIODE Schottky photodiodeis one of the simple metal semiconductor Junction .the advantage of this type of photodiode isits high Speed which arises from the facts it is a majority carrier device And its depletion layer is one sided only (n side).
  • 20.
  • 21.
    Phototransistor This is aspecial class of photodetector.like avalanche photodiode,photo- -transistor which provides high gain,the device on receiving a weak Signal amplifies internally and then passes on its output terminal.
  • 22.
    APPLICATION In Fiber opticscoomunication In camera Many medical device Bar code sensor In security system
  • 23.
    Reference Optoelectronics and opticalfiber sensors by Asit baran maity.PHI pub.