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Resistor. It Is A Type of Semiconductor and

The document discusses light dependent resistors (LDRs), also known as photoconductive cells. LDRs are semiconductors whose conductivity changes proportionally with light intensity. When light hits an LDR, photons are absorbed, exciting electrons from the valence to conduction band, decreasing resistance. This makes LDR resistance inversely related to radiation intensity. Common applications of LDRs include security lights, traffic lights, and light meters, as they can detect light levels. The document also provides examples of LDR circuits and an experiment measuring current through an LDR at different light intensities.

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62 views18 pages

Resistor. It Is A Type of Semiconductor and

The document discusses light dependent resistors (LDRs), also known as photoconductive cells. LDRs are semiconductors whose conductivity changes proportionally with light intensity. When light hits an LDR, photons are absorbed, exciting electrons from the valence to conduction band, decreasing resistance. This makes LDR resistance inversely related to radiation intensity. Common applications of LDRs include security lights, traffic lights, and light meters, as they can detect light levels. The document also provides examples of LDR circuits and an experiment measuring current through an LDR at different light intensities.

Uploaded by

jraja
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The general purpose photoconductive cell is

also known as LDR

light

dependent

resistor. It is a type of semiconductor and


its conductivity changes with proportional
change

in

the

intensity

of

light.

The

complete principle of an LDR is as follows. In


a

semiconductor

an

energy

gap

exists

between conduction electrons and valence


electrons. As an LDR is also known as
semiconductor photo-conductive transducer,
when light is incident on it, a photon is
absorbed and thereby it excites an electron
from valence band into conduction band. Due
to

such

conduction

new

electrons

band

area,

coming
the

up

in

electrical

resistance of the device decreases. Thus the


LDR or photoconductive transducer has the
resistance which is the inverse function of
radiation intensity.

Here we must

note that any radiation with wavelength


greater than the value obtained in above
equation CANNOT PRODUCE any change in
the resistance of this device.

The photoresistor or light dependent resistor is


attractive in many electronic circuit designs
because of its low cost, simple structure and
rugged features. While it may not have some of
the features of the photo-diode and phototransistor, it is ideal for many applications. The
properties of photo resistors can vary quite
widely dependent upon the type of material used.
Some have very long time constants, for example.
Light dependent resistors are a crucial part
in any electric circuit which is to be turned
off and on automatically in accordant to the
level of ambient light for instance in night
security lighting or solar powered garden
lights.

Light dependent resistors are usually used in


circuits where it is necessary to detect the
presence or the level of light. They are
commonly used in photographic light meters
and they are sensitive to light. This device is
made from semiconductor materials like
cadmium sulphide.
Light dependent resistors are used to recharge a light during different changes in
the light or they are made to turn a light on
during certain changes in lights. One of the
most common uses for light dependent
resistors is in traffic lights.

Analog Applications :
Camera Exposure Control

Auto Slide Focus - dual cell


Photocopy Machines - density of toner
Colorimetric Test Equipment
Densitometer
Electronic Scales - dual cell
Automatic Gain Control modulated light

source
Automated Rear View Mirror

Digital Applications

Automatic Headlight Dimmer


Night Light Control
Oil Burner Flame Out
Street Light Control
Absence / Presence (beam breaker)
Position Sensor

Photo resistors are most often used as light


sensors. They are often utilized when it is
required to detect the presence and absence of
light or measure the light intensity. Examples are
night lights and photography light meters. An
interesting hobbyist application for light
dependent resistors is the line following robot,
which uses a light source and two or more LDRs
to determine the needed change of course.
Sometimes, they are used outside sensing

applications, for example in audio compressors,


because their reaction to light is not
instantaneous, and so the function of LDR is to
introduce a delayed response.

Light sensor circuit example

1)Light sensor :
If a basic light sensor is needed, an LDR circuit
such as the one in the figure can be used. The
LED lights up when the intensity of the light
reaching the LDR resistor is sufficient. The 10K
variable resistor is used to set the threshold at
which the LED will turn on. If the LDR light is
below the threshold intensity, the LED will
remain in the off state. In real-world
applications, the LED would be replaced with a
relay or the output could be wired to a

microcontroller or some other device. If a


darkness sensor was needed, where the LED
would light in the absence of light, the LDR and
the two 10K resistors should be swapped.

2)Audio compressors :

Audio compressors are devices which reduce the


gain of the audio amplifier when the amplitude of
the signal is above a set value. This is done to
amplify soft sounds while preventing the loud
sounds from clipping. Some compressors use an
LDR and a small lamp (LED or electroluminescent
panel) connected to the signal source to create
changes in signal gain. This technique is believed
by some to add smoother characteristics to the
signal because the response times of the light
and the resistor soften the attack and release.
The delay in the response time in these
applications is on the order of 0.1s.

The LDR is made of a piece of exposed


semiconductor
material
such
as
CdS
photoconductive cells with spectral responses
similar to that of the human eye. That
changes its electrical resistance from several
thousand ohms in the dark to only a few
hundred ohms when light falls on it by
creating a hole-electron pairs in the material.
The net effect is an improvement in its
conductivity with a decrease in resistance for
an increase in illumination. Also, photoresistive
cells have a long response time requiring many
seconds to respond to a change in the light
intensity.
These CdS cells are inexpensive, and hence
used extensively in camera light meters,

street lights, clock radios, alarm devices solar


street lamps, etc.
They are also used in some dynamic
compressors together with a small light
emitting diode to control gain reduction.
Ge:Cu LDRs are among the best far-infrared
detectors available, and are used for farinfrared astronomy and infrared spectroscopy
Connecting a LDR in series with a standard
resistor across a single DC supply voltage has
one major advantage, a different voltage will
appear at their junction for different levels
of light.

AIM : To study the variation of current through


a LDR with the intensity of the incident
radiation.

APPARATUS : 12 V bulb, LDR, Milliammeter,


Battery (6 v or 9 v ), a meter scale, bulb holder,
key.
DIAGRAM :

PROCEDURE :

The LDR was connected in series as shown


in the circuit diagram. Initially the LDR was
covered using the hand. The reading in the
milliammeter was measured to be very low
due to high resistance in the LDR.
Then the reading in the milliammeter was
noted with the room light alone.
Later the given bulb was kept at 2 cm, 3
cm, 4 cm, 5 cm, 6 cm, 7 cm, 8 cm, 9 cm, 10
cm, 15 cm, 20 cm and 25 cm from the LDR
right in front of it and the corresponding
readings were noted.
A graph was plotted with l along Y Axis
and distance along the X axis. It was
observed

that

as

the

intensity

of

illumination of LDR increases, its resistance


decreases and therefore current through
the circuit increases. The graph obeyed
inverse square law.

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS :

Reading shown by the ammeter when LDR was


covered = 0 mA
Reading shown by the ammeter when the
room was illuminated = 10mA

OBSERVATION :
S.NO

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

DISTANCE OF LDR CURRENT


FROM THE BULB D THROUGH LDR
CM
1 mA
25
10
20
10
15
10
10
10
9
10
8
10
7
10
6
20
5
30
4
50
3
80
2
120

ROUGH DIAGRAM :

I (Ma)

d (cm)

RESULT :
1. The variation of current through LDR with
the

intensity

of

incident

radiation

was

studied.
2.From the graph it was observed that as
intensity of illumination of LDR increases, its
resistance decreases and therefore current
through the circuit increases.

The graph

obeyed inverse square law.

PRECAUTIONS :
1. If ordinary light is used the intensity of light
decreases rapidly with distance.
2.Use uA if mA is not suitable.

SOURCES OF ERROR :
1. There may not be variation of current in the
circuit if LDR resistance is very high.
2.Avoid loose connection.
3.Avoid laser source because its intensity does
not vary too much over a large distance.

Various books and websites were


referred while making this project:
Physics Textbook for class XII, PartI, NCERT

Physics Laboratory Manual for


class XII, NCERT
Wikipedia.org

INDEX
Certificate
Acknowledgement
Introduction
Function
Applications

Advantages and
Uses
Experiment
Bibliography

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