Lxp.:8 1ransducer Lab.

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University of 1ordan
Transducer Lab.
Experiment 8: Phototransistor
Objectives:
Observed the eIIect oI incident light on the behavior oI a phototransistor.
Have measured the illumination and polar response oI a phototransistor.
Be able to compare the behavior oI a phototransistor with that oI a bipolar
transistor.
Introduction:
Phototransistor combines the ability to detect light and ampliIy within a single device.
They are similar to conventional bipolar transistor, except that part oI the device is
exposed to the light via a window or lens. Such an arrangement is equivalent to an
ordinary transistor with a photodiode connected between the collector and the base, as
shown in Iig 5.1
Figure 5.1: phototransistor
When a reverse-biased photodiode is illuminated, the light photons generate extra
reverse current which is linear with the illumination. In normal operation the
collector-based junction oI a phototransistor is reverse-biased and this provides the
photon current. This travels into the base region as a normal transistor receives base
current Irom its bias network Ior example. This current is then ampliIied by normal
transistor action.
We would thus expect to be able to plot the normal transistor characteristics, using
illumination as a parameter instead oI base current. This will then lead us to plot the
illumination characteristics.
In the common emitter connection, the output circuit current is given by:
I
c
H
FE
I
b
h
OE
V
CE
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Where the symbols have their usual meanings. Now as h
OE
V
CE
is very small
I
c
h
FE
I
B
And h
FE
is the current gain oI the transistor.
In a phototransistor, the collector-base junction is reverse-biased and provides a base
current linear with illumination.
Thus we would expect Ic to vary linearly with p (illumination) and be greater than the
diode current by the Iactor H
FE
I
c
h
FE
P I
O
This assumes that the transistor is always conducting and we will investigate
graphically the eIIect oI diIIerent load resistances.
First we are going to plot the standard transistor output characteristics Ior diIIerent
values oI illumination.
Part1: Phototransistor characteristics
Mount the lamp holder on the linear Transducer Test Rig and connect the two
leads Irom it to the 0V and 15V sockets on the module.
Position the light Transducer Box on Linear Transducer Test Rig to the set oI
holes nearest to the lamp, with the hole in Iront oI the transducers Iacing the
lamp.
Connect up the circuit oI Iigure 5.2 with the phototransistor behind the hole in
the light box. Do not connect the base terminal oI the phototransistor.
Position the lamp holder at the position corresponding to 100 relative
illumination by reIerence to the table given below.
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Figure 5.2
Check that the variable d.c is at minimum with the potentiometer control on
the operational ampliIier set to 0, and switch on the power supply. The lamp
should light.
Slowly increase the variable d.c The meter should indicate a current. When the
readings gets to between 8 and 10 mA, stop .
Now rotate the optical Transducer assembly against the scale on top oI the
transducer box so that your millimeter reading is a maximum. You may need
to adjust the variable d.c output control iI you were a long way out initially.
This ensures that the light is Ialling perpendicularly on the transducer and we
have maximum sensitivity. Do not adjust this scale during your experiment.
Return the variable d.c to zero and draw up a table Ior your results as in the
Iollowing table.
Adjust the variable d.c voltage in steps as indicated in the table and at each
step record the current Ilowing. Move the bulb backwards to vary the
illumination on the transducer according to the table oI distances given beIore.
At each value oI illumination,80,60,40,25 and 10,repeat the
measurements above and record the values in the remaining columns oI your
table.
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II you are doing the experiment in daylight, take your readings as quickly as possible
in case the daylight varies. Also keep your hands away Irom the rig when taking
readings in case they cause unwanted reIlections oI light onto the transducers.
Biase
Voltage
(V)
Current (mA) Ior values oI relative illumination
Relative
illumination
()
100 80 60 40 25 10
Scale
setting
(mm)
90.0 84.0 75.5 61.0 40.0 32.0(hole
position1)
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
1.0
2.0
5.0
10.0
12.0
14.0
Q1: Plot graphs oI current Ilowing against the supply voltage which, in this case is
also the collector-emitter voltage V
CB
across the transistor. Label each curve with the
value oI relative illumination to which it corresponds.
Q2: Are the graphs similar to the output characteristics oI a normal transistor? Do
they support the theory that the light photons produce an eIIect equivalent to base
current?
Q3: What can you say about the variation in collector current iI the light intensity is
held constant and the collector-emitter voltage is varied? What parameter oI the
phototransistor is used to deIine this? is it the same Ior all values oI illumination?
BeIore we look into the exact variation oI collector current with illumination, we need
to consider load resistance.
For the output curves you have just plotted, the phototransistor was eIIectively
working into a short circuit, or zero resistance. This means that iI our supply voltage
was 10 volts, the whole oI this voltage appeared between the collector and the emitter
oI our transducer Ior all values oI illumination. This allowed current to Ilow in the
collector circuit and this current did not reduce the voltage. This can be represented
on our graph by a vertical load line as shown in the Iollowing Iigure
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Figure 5.3: load lines Ior phototransistor
The other limiting condition is with the collector open circuit. No current can Ilow at
all.
In between these two limiting conditions, iI we have a Iinite resistance in the collector
circuit, as the collector current increases the voltage drop across the load resistor will
increase and this will lower the value oI Vce oI the phototransistor. In the limiting
case where the phototransistor is in the dark, we have all the voltage across our load
resistor and no current Ilowing.(this is not strictly true, as a small leakage current does
Ilow in he dark, but this can oIten be ignored). This state oI aIIairs can be represented
on your output graphs as a straight line whose slope is determined by the load
resistance, this is also shown in Iigure 5.3.
You should be able to see that iI we wish to use the variation oI voltage with
illumination as the output oI the transducer, then in order to avoid distortion, we must
keep the load line above the knee oI the curve so that the phototransistor is never
limited.
To obtain maximum power output Irom the transducer there will thus be an optimum
value oI load resistance giving us maximum voltage swing with maximum current
swing.
Q4: Mark on your graph what you consider to be the optimum load line Ior a 14 V
supply voltage and Ior the range oI relative illuminations up to 100 that we have
used. Calculate the optimum load resistance. Draw the load lines Ior 750O on your
graph.
Q5: II we vary the illumination Irom 10 to 100 with a supply voltage oI 14V, Ior
which value(s) oI load resistance will the output, be very distorted?
Lxp.:8 1ransducer Lab.

Part 2: Phototransistor load

First, leave the circuit oI Iig 5.2 connected up. With only the millimeter in the
collector circuit, this corresponds to zero load resistance.
Return the bulb transducers distance to the corresponding with 100 relative
illumination.
Adjust the variable d.c voltage to 14V and rotate the transducer Ior maximum
reading on the collector circuit millimeter. You should Iind that this is the
same reading that you obtained beIore, provided the ambient lighting hasn't
changed. Do not adjust the variable d.c control during this experiment.
Observing the same precautions as beIore, vary the values oI relative
illumination by increasing the bulb transducer distance. At each step read the
collector current and record your readings in the Iollowing table.
Switch oII the power supply and reconnect the circuit to include a resistor in
the collector as shown in Iig 5.4. Select Iirst the 1.5kO resistor. This
corresponds to module set up as shown in Iig 5.5. Switch on the power supply
and repeat the experiment with the variable d.c control set to 14V. Record
your readings in the appropriate column oI your table.
Figure 5.4
Figure 5.5
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Replace the 1.5kO resistor on the module and repeat the experiment
again with a supply voltage oI 14V. Record your readings in the
appropriate column oI your table.
Relative
illumination (
)
Scale
Setting
(mm)
Current (mA) Ior values oI load resistance with
14V applied
Zero 1.5kO 10kO
100
80
60
40
30
25
20
10
0
Q6: Plot graphs oI current against relative illumination Ior the three conditions. Label
each curve with the load resistance to which it corresponds, and the supply voltage.
Q7: Why does the graph Ior the load resistance oI 10kO Ilatten out at high levels oI
illumination? What limits the load current?
Q8: For the graphs Ior Zero load and 1.5kO load draw the best straight line through
the points. Calculate the linearity by expressing the maximum deviation oI your graph
Irom this straight line as a percentage oI the total range.
Q9: Calculate the power dissipation in the load resistance oI 100 relative
illumination Ior all three cases. Use the Iormula Power I
2
R Where I is the current in
amperes, and R is the load resistance in ohms.
Q10: Which is the most eIIicient load?
BeIore we discuss your results, let us see how the angle at which light Ialls light Ialls
on the transducer aIIects its response.
Part 3: Polar characteristic
Return to the circuit oI Iig 5.2, i.e with zero load resistance. Reset the bulb
transducer distance to that corresponding to 100 relative illumination.
Slowly increase the variable d.c control until the meter reads about
8mA.Rotate the transducers until this reading is a maximum then adjust the
variable d.c Control until this reading is exactly 10mA .Do not touch the
control again during your experiment. Note the value oI voltage you have set.
Now set the angular scale to 30anti-clockwise and record the current Ilowing.
Repeat these readings Ior angle oI 25 , 20 and so on at 5 intervals up to 30
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clockwise. You may have to interpolate between two values to Iind the
absolute maximum. Record your results in your own copy oI a table as in Iig
the Iollowing table.
When you are setting the angles, take care to look directly down on top oI the
transducer box when aligning the marks, to avoid parallax, again perIorm the
experiment as quickly as possible and keep your hands away Irom the rig when taking
readings.
Angle (degree ) Transducers Output (mV )
30 ACW
25
20
15
10
5
0
5 CW
10
15
20
25
30
Q11: Plot a graph, on linear graph paper, oI current Ilowing against angle. Label it
with the value oI applied voltage.
Q12: Between what angles do you consider this device to be useIul?
Q13: Why does the ambient lighting not have a signiIicant eIIect with this
phototransistor?
The spectral response oI this transducer when plotted with advanced equipment shows
that the peak response oI such a silicon transducer is about 800nm- well into the inIra
red region oI the spectrum.
Q14: Taking what we have just said into consideration with your results
Q15: Suggest some uses Ior such a transducer?