Chapter 21. photodiode
What It Does
Light falling on a photodiode causes it to generate a very small current. This is often called the photovoltaic effect. The component functions like a solar panel; in fact, a solar panel can be thought of as being an array of very large photodiodes.
Often, a DC power source is used to apply reverse bias to a photodiode. This enables the component to deliver more current. It is now operating in photoconductive mode.
Schematic Symbols
Schematic symbols for a photodiode are shown in Figure 21-1. Wavy arrows are often (but not always) used to indicate infrared light. ...
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