Term: photoconductive detector
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04590

Definition:
In a photoconductive detector an electric potential is applied across the absorbing region and causes a current to flow in proportion to the irradiance if the photon energy exceeds the energy gap between the valence and the conduction band. Depending on their spectral responsivity function, photoconductive detectors are divided into photoconductive detectors for the visible wavelength range e.g. cadmium sulfide or CdS photoconductive detectors, photoconductive detectors for the near infrared wavelength range e.g. lead sulfide or PbS photoconductive detectors, photoconductive detectors for the infrared wavelength range e.g. silicon doped with arsenide or Si:As photoconductive detectors, and the mercury-cadmium-telluride or HgCdTe photoconductive detector.

Related Terms:
1) detector (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.R05054).
2) spectral responsivity function (<em>in detection of radiation</em>) (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.R05347).
3) electric potential (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.E01935).
4) valence (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.V06588).
5) conduction band (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01244).
6) visible (<em>in detection of radiation</em>) (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.VT07496).
7) wavelength (<em>in detection of radiation</em>) (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.W06659).
8) infrared (<em>in detection of radiation</em>) (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.IT07399).

Source: PAC, 1995, 67, 1745. 'Nomenclature, symbols, units and their usage in spectrochemical analysis-XI. Detection of radiation (IUPAC Recommendations 1995)' on page 1754 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199567101745)

Citation: 'photoconductive detector' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04590

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