DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH
Name : E. Sunil Kumar
Designation : Lecturer
Branch : A.E.I.E
Institute : K.D.R.G.P.T, WNP,MBNR
Semester : VI
Subject : Industrial Electronics, PLC & SCADA
Subject code : AEI-602
Topic : Opto-Electronic Devices
Duration : 100 mts

subtopic : Photo Transistor Device

Teaching Aids : PPTs, Animations,
AEI602.4 TO 5 Diagrams 1
 Objectives
On the completion of this topic, you would be able
to

• List disadvantages of Photo Diode

• Explain construction of Photo Transistor

• Explain the working principle of Photo Transistor

• Typical application of Photo Transistor

AEI602.4 TO 5 2
 Origin of Photo Transistor

• Current developed in photo diode is very low

• Low level current cannot be used in control applications

• Low level current must be amplified

• Amplification is achieved in Photo Transistor

AEI602.4 TO 5 3
 Photo Transistor

• Light detector

• Combines photo diode and transistor amplifier

• Operation depends on light

AEI602.4 TO 5 4
 Construction

• Consists of three sections

• Thin p-type wafer is sandwiched between n-type

collector and emitter

• Only two leads are taken out

• Lens concentrates light on p-type wafer

AEI602.4 TO 5 5
Construction…

N P N

AEI602.4 TO 5 6
 Circuit Symbol

Collector

Light

Base

Emitter

AEI602.4 TO 5 7
 Working

• Light strikes base-collector junction

• This creates the base current

• Base current initiates the conduction in photo transistor

• Current depends on intensity of light

• Base-collector current increases with intensity of light

AEI602.4 TO 5 8
 V-I Characteristics

2
Ic

H=1.0mW/cm2

Vce

AEI602.4 TO 5 9
 Typical Application as ON-OFF Control

230 V, Isolation
Variac
50 Hz Transformer

+Vcc

Relay to
Control
Device

Q1
60 W
Lamp
Light Q2

R1

R2

AEI602.4 TO 5 10
 Operation

• Relay connected to collector of transistor Q2

• Light source is ordinary 60W bulb kept close to

transistor Q1

• Intensity of light is varied by variable auto transformer

• Isolation transformer avoids loading effect

AEI602.4 TO 5 11
 Operation…
• Output of Q1 is amplified by Q2

• With no light there is no photo current flow in Q1

• Q2 is biased to cut-off, relay is not actuated

• With light on Q1, emitter current flows and biases Q2

AEI602.4 TO 5 12
 Operation…

• Collector current flows in Q2

• Relay is actuated

• Thus the control device connected through the relay is

switched ON and OFF

AEI602.4 TO 5 13
 Summary

We have discussed about

• Disadvantages of photo diode

• Construction of Photo Transistor

• Working principle of Photo Transistor

• Typical application of Photo Transistor

AEI602.4 TO 5 14
 Quiz

2) Photo transistor consists of

a) 2 sections

c) 3 sections

e) 1section

g) None
AEI602.4 TO 5 15
 Quiz

2) Photo transistor has

a) 2 terminals

b) 3 terminals

c) 4 terminals

d) None

AEI602.4 TO 5 16
 Quiz

3) Photo transistor gives the advantage of

a) Amplification

c) Attenuation

e) Amplification and Attenuation

g) None

AEI602.4 TO 5 17
 Quiz

4) Photo transistor can be used as

a) ON device

b) OFF device

c) ON-OFF device

d) All

AEI602.4 TO 5 18
 Frequently Asked Questions

1) List the disadvantages of Photo diode

2) Explain the construction of Photo transistor

3) Explain the working principle of photo transistor

4) Explain an application of photo transistor with circuit

diagram
AEI602.4 TO 5 19