Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Table of Contents
Description of terms
Page
2
Spectral response
Photo sensitivity: S
Quantum efficiency: QE
Short circuit current: Isc, open circuit voltage: Voc
Infrared sensitivity ratio
Dark current: ID, shunt resistance: Rsh
Terminal capacitance: Ct
Rise time: tr
Cut-off frequency: fc
NEP (Noise Equivalent Power)
Maximum reverse voltage: VR Max.
D* (Detectivity: detection capacity)
Construction
Principle of operation
Si photodiode
Equivalent circuit
Current vs. voltage characteristic
Spectral response
Noise characteristic
Spatial response uniformity
Tempature Characteristics
Si PIN photodiode
Reverse voltage
Response speed and frequency response
Si photodiode with preamp
Feedback circuit
Bias current
Gain peaking
Gain peaking elimination
Si APD
Advantage of APD
Noise characteristic of APD
Spectral response of APD
Temperature characteristic of gain
Connection to peripheral circuits
Reliability
15
16
Description of terms
1. Spectral response
8. Rise time: tr
2. Photo sensitivity: S
This measure of sensitivity is the ratio of radiant energy expressed
in watts (W) incident on the device, to the resulting photocurrent
expressed in amperes (A). It may be represented as either an
absolute sensitivity (A/W) or as a relative sensitivity normalized for
the sensitivity at the peak wavelength, usually expressed in percent
(%) with respect to the peak value. For the purpose of this catalog,
the photo sensitivity is represented as the absolute sensitivity, and
the spectral response range is defined as the region in which the
relative sensitivity is higher than 5 % of the peak value.
3. Quantum efficiency: QE
9. Cut-off frequency: fc
This is the measure used to evaluate the time response of highspeed APD (avalanche photodiodes) and PIN photodiodes to a
sinewave-modulated light input. It is defined as the frequency at
which the photodiode output decreases by 3 dB from the output at
100 kHz. The light source used is a laser diode (830 nm) and the
load resistance is 50 W. The rise time tr has a relation with the cutoff frequency fc as follows:
tr = 0.35 ............ (4)
fc
The short circuit current is the output current which flows when
the load resistance is 0 and is nearly proportional to the device
active area. This is often called white light sensitivity with
regards to the spectral response. This value is measured with
light from a tungsten lamp of 2856 K distribution temperature
(color temperature), providing 100 time illuminance. The open
circuit voltage is a photovoltaic voltage developed when the load
resistance is infinite and exhibits a constant value independent of
the device active area.
7. Terminal capacitance: Ct
An effective capacitor is formed at the PN junction of a
photodiode. Its capacitance is termed the junction capacitance
and is the major factor in determining the response speed of the
photodiode. And it probably causes a phenomenon of gain
peaking in I-V conversion circuit using operational amplifier. In
Hamamatsu, the terminal capacitance including this junction
capacitance plus package stray capacitance is listed.
1
Reference
l Physical constant
Constant
Electron charge
Speed of light in
vacuum
Symbol
e or q
c
Value
Unit
-19
1.602 10
2.998 108
Planck's constant
h
6.626 10-34
Boltzmann's
k
1.381 10-23
constant
Room temperature
KT (T=300 K)
0.0259
thermal energy
1 eV energy
Wavelength in vacuum
corresponding to 1 eV
Dielectric constant
of vacuum
Dielectric constant
of silicon
Dielectric constant
of silicon oxide
Energy gap of
silicon
c
m/s
Js
J/K
eV
eV
1.602 10-19
1240
nm
8.854 10-12
F/m
si
Approx. 12
ox
Approx. 4
Eg
Approx. 1.12
(T=25 C)
eV
PIN Type
An improved version of the low-capacitance planar diffusion
device, this type makes use of an extra high-resistance I layer
between the P- and N-layers to improve response time. This
type of device exhibits even further improved response time
when used with reversed bias and so is designed with high
resistance to breakdown and low leakage for such
applications.
Schottky Type
A thin gold coating is sputtered onto the N material layer to
form a Schottky Effect P-N junction. Since the distance from
the outer surface to the junction is small, ultraviolet sensitivity
is high.
Avalanche Type
PNN+ Type
A low-resistance N+ material layer is made thick to bring the
NN+ boundary close to the depletion layer. This somewhat
lowers the sensitivity to infrared radiation, making this type of
device useful for measurements of short wavelengths.
Photodiode type
1) PN photodiode
2) PIN photodiode
3) Schottky type photodiode
4) APD (Avalanche photodiode)
All of these types provide the following features and are widely used for the detection of the intensity, position, color and
presence of light.
Features of photodiode
1) Excellent linearity with respect to incident light
2) Low noise
3) Wide spectral response
4) Mechanically rugged
5) Compact and lightweight
6) Long life
1. Principle of operation
Figure 1-1 shows a cross section of a photodiode. The
P-layer material at the active surface and the N material
at the substrate form a PN junction which operates as a
photoelectric converter. The usual P-layer for a Si
photodiode is formed by selective diffusion of boron, to a
thickness of approximately 1 m or less and the neutral
region at the junction between the P- and N-layers is
known as the depletion layer. By controlling the thickness
of the outer P-layer, substrate N-layer and bottom N+layer as well as the doping concentration, the spectral
response and frequency response can be controlled.
When light strikes a photodiode, the electron within the
crystal structure becomes stimulated. If the light energy
is greater than the band gap energy Eg, the electrons
are pulled up into the conduction band, leaving holes in
their place in the valence band. (See Figure 1-2) These
electron-hole pairs occur throughout the P-layer,
depletion layer and N-layer materials. In the depletion
layer the electric field accelerates these electrons toward
the N-layer and the holes toward the P-layer. Of the
electron-hole pairs generated in the N-layer, the electrons,
along with electrons that have arrived from the P-layer, are
left in the N-layer conduction band. The holes at this
time are being diffused through the N-layer up to the
depletion layer while being accelerated, and collected in
the P-layer valence band. In this manner, electron-hole
pairs which are generated in proportion to the amount of
incident light are collected in the N- and P-layers. This
results in a positive charge in the P-layer and a negative
charge in the N-layer. If an external circuit is connected
between the P- and N-layers, electrons will flow away
from the N-layer, and holes will flow away from the Player toward the opposite respective electrodes. These
electrons and holes generating a current flow in a
semiconductor are called the carriers.
SHORT
WAVELENGTH
+
+
INCIDENT LIGHT
NEGATIVE
ELECTRODE
(CATHODE)
+ -
LONG
WAVELENGTH
N N+
P-LAYER
N-LAYER
KPDC0002EA
N-LAYER
- -
INCIDENT LIGHT
- CONDUCTION BAND
BAND GAP ENERGY Eg
+ +
+
VALENCE BAND
KPDC0003EA
Rs
Io
Vo
Rsh
VD
Cj
LOAD
ID
RL
KPDC0004EA
( I Is I
L
+ 1 ............ (2-2)
VBi + VR
............ (2-4)
(Rs + RL) Sl
2. Si photodiode
Isc
SATURATION
CURRENT
VOLTAGE
0
Voc
Voc'
Isc
LIGHT
LIGHT
Isc'
Voc
INCREASING
LIGHT LEVEL
KPDC0005EA
103
CURRENT
102
VR
101
VOLTAGE
100
10-1
10-2
10-2
100
101
102
103
104
ILLUMINANCE (lx)
KPDB0001EA
500
400
300
100
10-1
100
101
102
103
DARK CURRENT
KPDB0003EA
(Typ. Ta=25 C)
104
ILLUMINANCE (lx)
KPDB0002EA
G Io RL
-10
Io
RL
- (Isc Rf)
ID
10
Rsh =
10 [mV]
[]
ID
VOLTAGE (mV)
KPDB0004EA
lh =
LIGHT
-5
KPDC0006EA
0.7
NEP =
S1337-BR TYPE
1012
S1227-BR TYPE
0.4
NEP (W/Hz1/2)
NEP=
S1336-BQ/-BK TYPE
0.3
-BQ TYPE
0.2
S1226-BQ/
-BK TYPE
S1133
S1133
0.1
1011
0.6
0.5
ij
S
S=0.35 A/W
THEORETICAL LINE
1013
1014
1015
-BK/-BR TYPE
0
190
400
600
800
1000
1016
106
WAVELENGTH (nm)
KPDB0005EC
107
108
109
1010
1011
k: Boltzmann's constant
T: Absolute temperature
of the element
B: Noise bandwidth
q : Electron charge
ID: Dark current
B : Noise bandwidth
100
in =
INCIDENT LIGHT:
50
7 m
=680 nm
ACTIVE AREA
(10 10 mm)
3. Si PIN photodiode
103
Rf
REVERSE
VOLTAGE
VR
REVERSE VOLTAGE
VR=5 V
VR=1 V
105
VR=0 V
106
107
101
102
103
104
ILLUMINANCE (lx)
105
KPDB0009EA
MEASURING EQUIPMENT
(b)
REVERSE
VOLTAGE
VR
REVERSE
VOLTAGE
50 COAXIAL CABLE
KPDC0009EA
KPDC0008EA
10 GHz
CUT-OFF FREQUENCY
S7911
S7912
1 GHz
S5973
10
100
OUTPUT (5 mV/DIV.)
tr =
0
-3
-10
-20
106
107
108
109
1010
FREQUENCY (Hz)
KPDB0011EA
Figures 3-5 (a), (b) and (c) show examples of the response waveform and frequency response characteristics for typical photodiodes.
Figure 3-5 (a) Photodiode response waveform example
LIGHT INPUT
OUTPUT WAVEFORM
(t 1, t 3> 2)
>t
OUTPUT WAVEFORM
>t
(t 2> 1, t 3)
KPDC0010EA
10
KPDB0010EA
0
-10
-20
-30
:
Circuit
:
Op-amp
Light source :
Upper trace :
Lower trace :
-40
-50
102
103
104
Figure 4-1
AD549
780 nm
Cf=0 pF
Cf=10 pF
105
FREQUENCY (Hz)
KPDB0019EA
+100
Rf 10 M
+ en A
Vout
KPDC0011EA
-50
-100
:
Circuit
:
Op-amp
Light source :
:
Cf
-150
-200
0
0.5
1.5
2.5
Figure 4-1
AD549
780 nm
0 pF
3.5
TIME (ms)
KPDB0020EA
Cf 10 pF
Rsh
Ct
100 pF 100 M
+50
105
106
107
108
102
:
Circuit
:
Op-amp
Upper trace :
Lower trace :
103
104
Figure 4-1
AD549
Cf=0 pF
Cf=10 pF
105
FREQUENCY (Hz)
KPDB0021EA
11
101
GAIN
PEAKING
Rf
1+
Rsh
100
Cf=1 pF
Cf=10 pF
in =
( 1 + Ct )
Cf
10-1
10-2
10-1
100
101
f1
f2
f2' f3
102 103 104 105
106
107
KPDB0016EA
108
FREQUENCY (Hz)
L
NA
G
SI
(IL
in
)R
M
SHOT NOISE =
2q IL M2 FB Rin
S/N MAX.
THERMAL NOISE = 4Famp k TB Rin
OUTPUT
103
G
AI
N
104
C
IR
C
U
IT
105
102
106
P
AM IN
H
P- A
O P G DT
I
AL O
W
C LO
D
PI NAN
TY
PE N B z)
O
AI H
(G 1 M
=
107
5. Si APD
10
100
1000
GAIN
Mopt
Famp :
Rin :
k
:
T
:
25
LOW TEMPERATURE
COEFFICIENT TYPE
S6045 SERIES
15
10
0
200
400
800
1000
WAVELENGTH (nm)
KAPDB0007EE
EXCESSIVE VOLTAGE
PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT
APD
10000
20 C
+
READOUT
CIRCUIT
0 C
HIGH-SPEED OP-AMP
OPA620, LH0032, etc.
1000
GAIN
-20 C
KAPDC0005EA
100
40 C
10
1
80
60 C
100
120
140
160
180
13
Reliability
If used within the specified operating ratings, chips of
photodiodes will exhibit virtually no deterioration of
characteristics. Deterioration can often be attributed to
package, lead or filter failure. Package leakage at high
temperatures and humidity, in particular, often causes
the dark current to increase. Therefore, plastic and
ceramic package photodiodes have a somewhat limited
temperature and humidity range. In contrast, metal
package types feature excellent resistance to ambient
humidity. Photodiodes with filters are greatly affected by
endurance of the filter to environmental conditions.
Test item
ED-4701
Criteria
A-111
A-121
Appearance and
electrical characteristics
A-122
A-131
Resistance to
soldering heat
(except surface
mount type)
A-132
Resistance to
soldering heat
(surface mount
type)
A-133
Shock
Solderability
High temperature
Tstg (Max.) : 1000 hours
storage
B-111
Low temperature
Tstg (Min.) : 1000 hours
storage
B-121
Temperature cycle Tstg Min. to Tstg Max., in air, 30 minutes each, 10 cycles
Appearance and
electrical characteristics
B-112
High temperature,
60 C, 90 %: 1000 hours
high humidity storage
Solderability
B-131
Electrostatic
discharge
Resistance to
solvent
C-111
C-121
Marking legibility,
paint peeling
D-212
Appearance and
electrical characteristics
High temperature
Topr Max., VR Max.: 1000 hours
reverse bias
14
Eth yl
A lc o h o l
Soldering
time
Max.
(s)
10
Ceramic
260
2 mm or more away
from package
Ceramic
chip carrier
260
S5106, S5107
non moisture absorption
Plastic
230
1 mm or more away
from package
Package
Metal
Remark
l Cleaning
KPDC0012EA
l Lead forming
l Soldering
2 mm MIN.
15
16