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photodiode

(class of solid state device to detect EMR)

A photodiode is a solid state device (as is a transistor) that produces current to flow in response to incoming EMR, i.e., a type of EMR sensor. They are used as sensors (e.g., Geiger-avalanche photodiodes) and photocells and solar cells are variants. A photodiode is subject to noise (thermal noise and photon noise) imposing limits on its signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Dark current is another limiting factor, the small amount of current through the photodiode even when no EMR is incident.


(instrument type,EMR)
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photodiode
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_current_(physics)
https://www.rp-photonics.com/photodiodes.html
https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/the-basics-of-photodiodes-and-phototransistors-and-how-to-apply-them

Referenced by pages:
Compton telescope
dark matter (DM)
EXO
Geiger-avalanche photodiode (G-APD)
heterodyne spectrometer
photocathode
scintillator

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