Question:
A p-n photodiode is fabricated from a semiconductor with band gap of 2.8 eV. Can it detect a wavelength of 6000 nm?
Answer:
Energy band gap of the given photodiode, Eg = 2.8 eV
Wavelength, λ = 6000 nm = 6000 × 10−9 m
The energy of a signal is given by the relation:
E =
Where,
h = Planck’s constant
= 6.626 × 10−34 Js
c = Speed of light
= 3 × 108 m/s
E
= 3.313 × 10−20 J
But 1.6 × 10−19 J = 1 eV
∴E = 3.313 × 10−20 J
The energy of a signal of wavelength 6000 nm is 0.207 eV, which is less than 2.8 eV − the energy band gap of a photodiode. Hence, the photodiode cannot detect the signal.
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