Photodetector Current Responsivity

9008-039

 

In an optical receiver, the unity-gain current responsivity of the photodetector is given by:

 

      eta.e
Ri =  ------
       hf

 

where:

eta = quantum efficiency (0.5),
e = electronic charge (1.6 x 10-19 C),
h = Planck's constant (6.63 x 10-34 J.s),
f = optical frequency (c/Wl = 4.57 x 1014 Hz),
c = velocity of light (3 x 108 m/s),
Wl = wavelength (656 x 10-9 m).

 

 

Substituting the values given above in parentheses into the expression for reception at 656 nm, we find that:

 

Ri = 0.26 mA/mW


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