Light Dependent Resistor LDR | Photoresistor | Radio-Electronics.

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Light Dependent Resistor, Photoresistor, or Photocell

- notes on the basics of a photoresistor, light dependent resistor or photocell including its
construction, operation, circuit symbol, and circuit applications

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The light dependent resistor, LDR, is known by many names including the photoresistor, photo resistor, (/news/telecoms-networks/first-profile-
photoconductor, photoconductive cell, or simply the photocell. It is probably the term photocell that is most widely 35b-bonding-cpe-released-9131)
used in data and instruction sheets for domestic equipment. 26 GHz 5G mmW reconfigurable 256-
element active antenna array
The photoresistor, or light dependent resistor, LDR, finds many uses as a low cost photo sensitive element and was
(/news/antennas-propagation/26-ghz-5g-
used for many years in photographic light meters as well as in other applications such as flame, smoke and burglar
mmw-reconfigurable-256-element-9130)
detectors, card readers and lighting controls for street lamps. Often within the literature the photoresistor is called
the photocell as a more generic term. Nokia, Deutsche Telekom & Hamburg Port
Authority collaborate in 5G research
(/news/cellular-telecoms/nokia-deutsche-
Photoresistor discovery telekom-hamburg-port-9129)
Photoresistors, or light dependent resistors have been in use for very many years. Photoresistors have been seen in Compact step-down µModule meets PCB
early forms since the nineteenth century when photoconductivity in selenium was discovered by Smith in 1873. area constraints (/news/power-
Since then many variants of photoconductive devices have been made. management/compact-step-down-
module-meets-pcb-area-9128)
Much useful work was conducted by T. W. Case in 1920 when he published a paper entitled "Thalofide Cell - a new
photo-electric cell". . . . . More News (http://www.radio-
electronics.com/news.php)
Other substances including PbS, PbSe and PbTe were studied in the 1930s and 1940s, and then in 1952, Rollin and
Simmons developed their photoconductors using silicon and germanium.
FOCUS ON WIRELESS (/TECH-

Light dependent resistor symbol ZONE/DIGIKEY/)

Select and Apply the Right Low-Power

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Light Dependent Resistor LDR | Photoresistor | Radio-Electronics.com 06/02/2018, 01)40

The circuit symbol used for the light dependent resistor or photoresistor combines its resistor action while https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2017/dec/
indicating that it is sensitive to light. The basic light dependent resistor symbol has the rectangle used to indicate its and-apply-the-right-low-power-
resistor action, and then has two incoming arrows - the same as those used for photodiodes and phototransistors microcontroller-for-the-iot)
to indicate its light sensitivity. Develop Real-Time Microcontroller-Based
Applications Quickly Using MicroPython
(https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/clk/411419961;21221031
https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2017/sep/
real-time-mcu-based-applications-
micropython)
Wireless Modules Operating in the Sub-
Light dependent resistor symbol used in circuit diagrams GHz Bands Offer a Simpler Route to
Market for Sensor Networks
For most applications, the light dependent resistor symbol used will be that with the resistor with arrows, but in (https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/clk/411477151;21221031
some instances those drawing circuit diagrams prefer to encase the resistor in a circle. The more commonly used https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2017/nov/
photoresistor symbol is the resistor without the circle around it. modules-operating-in-the-sub-ghz-bands)
Selecting the Right FCC/CE Compliant
Photoresistor mechanism Wireless Module
(https://ad.doubleclick.net/ddm/clk/411424308;21221031
A photoresistor or photocell is a component that uses a photconductor between two contacts. When this is exposed https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2017/nov/
to light a change in resistance is noted. the-right-fcc-ce-compliant-wireless-
Photoconductivity - the mechanism behind the photoresistor - results from the generation of mobile carriers when module)
photons are absorbed by the semiconductor material used for the photoconductor. While the different types of More Focus on Wireless (/tech-
material used for light dependent resistors are semiconductors, when used as a photo-resistor, they are used only zone/digikey/)
as a resistive element and there are no PN junctions. Accordingly the device is purely passive.

There are two types of photoconductor and hence photoresistor: FOCUS ON TEST (/TECH-
Intrinsic photoresistor: This type of photoresistor uses a photoconductive material that involves excitation ZONE/FOCUS_ON_TEST/)
of charge carriers from the valence bands to the conduction band.
Pre-5G-NR Signal Generation and Analysis
Extrinsic photoresistor: This type of photoresistor uses a photoconductive material that involves excitation (https://www.rohde-
of charge carriers between an impurity and the valence band or conduction band. It requires shallow schwarz.com/applications/pre-5g-nr-
impurity dopants that are not ionised in the presence of light. signal-generation-and-analysis-
application-note_56280-493057.html?
Extrinisc photoresistors or photocells are generally designed for long wavelength radiation - often infra-red, WT.mc_id=site_com_mc_141_re_17-
but to avoid thermal generation they need to be operated at low temperatures. 18__1ma308_ros_text-link___)
Characterization of SIGFOX Devices
Basic photoresistor structure (https://www.rohde-
schwarz.com/applications/characterization-
Although there are many ways in which light dependent resistors, or photo resistors can be manufactured, there of-sigfox-devices-from-lab-to-production-
are naturally a few more common methods that are seen. Essentially the photoresisitor or photocell consists of a line-application-note_56280-
resistive material sensitive to light that is exposed to light. The photo resistive element comprises section of the 502083.html?
material with contacts at either end. WT.mc_id=site_com_mc_143_re_17-
18__1ma294_ros_text-link___)
A typical structure for a light dependent or photo resistor uses an active semiconductor layer that is deposited on
Increase the IP connection security of
an insulating substrate. The semiconductor is normally lightly doped to enable it to have the required level of
your IoT device (https://www.rohde-
conductivity. Contacts are then placed either side of the exposed area.
schwarz.com/applications/increase-the-
ip-connection-security-of-your-iot-device-
application-card_56279-391458.html?
WT.mc_id=site_com_mc_143_re_17-18__ip-
connection-security-appcard_ros_text-
link___)
Characterization of LoRa Devices
(https://www.rohde-
schwarz.com/applications/characterization-
of-lora-devices-application-note_56280-
507458.html?
WT.mc_id=site_com_mc_143_re_17-
18__1ma295_ros_text-link___)
One form of photoresistor structure
More Focus on Test (/tech-
Within the basic photoresistor or photocell structure, the resistance of the material itself is a key issue. To ensure zone/focus_on_test/)
the resistance changes resulting from the light dominate, contact resistance is minimised. To achieve this, the area
around the contacts is normally heavily doped to reduce the resistance in this region.
INDUSTRY CURRENTS BLOG (/INDUSTRY-
In many instances the area between the contacts is in the form of a zig zag, or interdigital pattern. This maximises
CURRENTS/)
the exposed area and by keeping the distance between the contacts small it reduces the spurious resistance levels
and enhances the gain.

Mike Logan | AndersDX

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Light Dependent Resistor LDR | Photoresistor | Radio-Electronics.com 06/02/2018, 01)40

Semicustom TFT displays: size (and

shape) is everything (/industry-
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Display designers should seek out solutions
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be constrained by the standard display
form factors

Photoresistor or photocell with interdigital contact pattern

TRAINING COURSES (/LEARNING-TRAINING-
It is also possible to use a polycrystalline semiconductor that is deposited onto a substrate such as ceramic. This COURSES/)
makes for a very low cost light dependent resistor
Online - Radio
Frequency (RF) and
Photoresistor applications Wireless
The photoresistor or light dependent resistor is attractive in many electronic circuit designs because of its low cost, Fundamentals
simple structure and rugged features. While it may not have some of the features of the photo-diode and photo- (/learning-training-
transistor, it is ideal for many applications. As a result the photo-resistor is widely used in circuits such as courses/courses_item.php?
photographic meters, flame or smoke detectors, burglar alarms, card readers, controls for street lighting and many id=radio-
others. engineering/online---
radio-frequency-rf-
The properties of photoresistors can vary quite widely dependent upon the type of material used. Some have very and-168)
long time constants, for example. It is therefore necessary to carefully choose the type of photoresistor for any Learn about fundamental
given circuit or application. concepts in RF engineering

By Ian Poole (https://plus.google.com/104687638164370436625?rel=author) More training courses

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