photodiode
noun
pho·to·di·ode
ˌfō-tō-ˈdī-ˌōd 
: a photoelectric semiconductor device for detecting and often measuring radiant energy (such as light)
Examples of photodiode in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Each unit also includes micro-LEDs and photodiodes for optical communication.
—
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2025
Whereas sunlight boils water for the electrical grid, starlight generates a mere trickle of electricity on large photodiodes that are like the cells of a solar panel.
—Victoria Corless, Space.com, 5 Aug. 2025
This works by sending a tiny bit of the optical signal to a photodiode that measures how much optical power is there.
—Ars Technica, 12 Jan. 2025
This is due mainly to the fact that no room has to be left for the focusing of light or for the lenses themselves, meaning that the light source, sample and photodiode can be as close to one another as possible, producing a much stronger signal.
—Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 12 Aug. 2024
Canon’s team reported that their system is also much faster at capturing the electrons transferred from the photodiodes, capturing as many as 121,000 electrons with the same lag as previous photodiodes, which is more than double the capacity of comparable earlier systems.
—IEEE Spectrum, 19 Jan. 2024
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Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2025
Whereas sunlight boils water for the electrical grid, starlight generates a mere trickle of electricity on large photodiodes that are like the cells of a solar panel.
—Victoria Corless, Space.com, 5 Aug. 2025
This works by sending a tiny bit of the optical signal to a photodiode that measures how much optical power is there.
—Ars Technica, 12 Jan. 2025
This is due mainly to the fact that no room has to be left for the focusing of light or for the lenses themselves, meaning that the light source, sample and photodiode can be as close to one another as possible, producing a much stronger signal.
—Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 12 Aug. 2024
Canon’s team reported that their system is also much faster at capturing the electrons transferred from the photodiodes, capturing as many as 121,000 electrons with the same lag as previous photodiodes, which is more than double the capacity of comparable earlier systems.
—IEEE Spectrum, 19 Jan. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Photodiode.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/photodiode. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
photodiode
noun
pho·to·di·ode
-ˈdī-ˌōd
: a photoelectric semiconductor device for detecting and often measuring radiant energy (such as light)
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