Question

Draw the I-V characteristics of a photo -diode. What is meant by dark current?

Answer 1

DARK CURRENT:

dark current is the relatively small electric current that flows through photosensitive devices such as a photomultiplier tube, photo diode, or charge coupled device even when
no photons are entering the device; it consists of the charges generated in the detector when no
outside radiation is entering the detector. It is referred to as reverse bias leakage current in non- optical devices and is present in all diodes. Physically, dark current is due to the random generation of electrons and holes within the depletion region of the device.