
Computer interfacing
Figure 2.11(b) shows a reflective transducer which gen-
erates a serial digital output as it moves over a
succession of black and white bars (e.g. bar codes). The
distance of 5 mm is optimum and can be kept constant
by a clear plastic lens at the tip, which contacts the sur-
face.
For high gain a photo-Darlington pair is used to
drive a BC108 output stage.
The photo-diode as an optical sensor
The advantage of a photodiode over a CdS cell is its very
much faster response, measured in microseconds or even
nanoseconds. The silicon photo-diode is normally oper-
ated with a reverse bias so that, in the dark, the diode
current i ...