Part of the Electronics glossary:

A photosensor is an electronic component that detects the presence of visible light, infrared transmission (IR), and/or ultraviolet (UV) energy. Most photosensors consist of semiconductor having a property called photoconductivity , in which the electrical conductance varies depending on the intensity of radiation striking the material.

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The most common types of photosensor are the photodiode, the bipolar phototransistor, and the photoFET (photosensitive field-effect transistor). These devices are essentially the same as the ordinary diode , bipolar transistor , and field-effect transistor , except that the packages have transparent windows that allow radiant energy to reach the junctions between the semiconductor materials inside. Bipolar and field-effect phototransistors provide amplification in addition to their sensing capabilities.

Photosensors are used in a great variety of electronic devices, circuits, and systems, including:

  • fiber optic systems
  • optical scanners
  • wireless LAN
  • automatic lighting controls
  • machine vision systems
  • electric eyes
  • optical disk drives
  • optical memory chips
  • remote control devices

This was last updated in April 2005
Posted by: Margaret Rouse

Related Terms

Definitions

  • photoconductivity

    - Photoconductivity is the tendency of a substance to conduct electricity to an extent that depends on the intensity of light-radiant energy (usually infrared transmission or visible light) striking ... (WhatIs.com)

  • sensor

    - A sensor is a device that detects and responds to some type of input from the physical environment. The specific input could be light, heat, motion, moisture, pressure, or any one of a great number... (WhatIs.com)

  • optoisolator (optical coupler or optocoupler)

    - An optoisolator, also known as an optical coupler or optocoupler , is a semiconductor device that allows signals to be transferred between circuits or systems (SearchNetworking.com)

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