Re: PIN Photodiode: needs biasing?

"Robert Scott" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@news.provide.net...

I have been doing some experimenting with a transimpedance amp (LF353) and >a PIN > photodiode. So far I have been using only a simple 1M feedback resistor > with > zero bias on the diode. Then I noticed in the datasheet for the PIN > photodiode > (NEC PH302) it shows a graph of photodiode current as a function of > reverse > bias. According to that graph, the photodiode current should be about > double > with 2 volts of reverse bias on the diode as compared with zero bias. > When I > tried it, the gain of the system remained the same (I have a squarewave > light > signal generated by a LED). It did improve the transient response quite a > bit, > especially when I rasied the bias to 7 volts (due to the reduced diode > capacitance, I guess) but I saw no evidence of increased photodiode > current. Is > this bogus? I have not seen this stated anywhere else besides the NEC > PH302 > datasheet, but Graeme in his classic book on Photodiode Amplifiers does > say that > PIN diodes are usually used with bias. Why is that? Why PINs and not all > photodiodes? > > > Robert Scott > Ypsilanti, Michigan

Hello Robert,

The photo current is independent of the reverse voltage at such low currents. I guess they measured the photo current with an ampere-meter with 100kOhm input resistance.

See figure 3.3 of this application-note.

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Best regards, Helmut

Reply to
Helmut Sennewald
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