Photoresistor
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Type | Passive |
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Working principle | Photoconductivity |
Electronic symbol | |
![]() The symbol for a photoresistor |
A photoresistor (also known as a light-dependent resistor, LDR, or photo-conductive cell) is a passive component that decreases in resistance as a result of increasing luminosity (light) on its sensitive surface, in other words, it exhibits
A photoelectric device can be either intrinsic or extrinsic. An intrinsic semiconductor has its own
Design considerations
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Photoresistors_-_three_sizes_-_mm_scale.jpg/260px-Photoresistors_-_three_sizes_-_mm_scale.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/CdS_Photocell.jpg/220px-CdS_Photocell.jpg)
A photoresistor is less light-sensitive than a
Photoresistors also exhibit a certain degree of latency between exposure to light and the subsequent decrease in resistance, usually around 10 milliseconds. The lag time when going from lit to dark environments is even greater, often as long as one second. This property makes them unsuitable for sensing rapidly flashing lights, but is sometimes used to smooth the response of audio signal compression.[2]
Applications
Photoresistors come in many types. Inexpensive
Photoresistors can be placed in streetlights to control when the light is on. Ambient light falling on the photoresistor causes the streetlight to turn off. Thus energy is saved by ensuring the light is only on during hours of darkness.
Photoresistors are also used in laser-based security systems to detect the change in the light intensity when a person or object passes through the laser beam.
They are also used in some
The use of CdS and CdSe[3] photoresistors is severely restricted in Europe due to the RoHS ban on cadmium.
Lead sulfide (PbS) and indium antimonide (InSb) LDRs (light-dependent resistors) are used for the mid-infrared spectral region. Ge:Cu photoconductors are among the best far-infrared detectors available, and are used for infrared astronomy and infrared spectroscopy.
See also
References
- ISBN 978-1401835149.
- ^ "Photo resistor - Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) » Resistor Guide". resistorguide.com. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
- ^ "Silonex: TO-18 photocells on ceramic substrate" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Using a photoresistor to track light
- Connecting a photoresistor to a circuit
- Photoresistor overview - detailing operation, structure and circuit information