This section provides an overview for pin photodiodes as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 14 pin photodiode manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked pin photodiode companies as of November, 2024: 1.Albis Optoelectronics AG, 2.Vishay Intertechnology, Inc.,, 3.First Sensor AG.
Table of Contents
A PIN photodiode is a type of photodiode that converts irradiated light into an electrical signal.
There are three main types of photodiodes: PN-type, PIN-type, and APD (Avalanche photodiode).
Compared to PN photodiodes, which consist of PN coupling between P-type and N-type semiconductors, PIN photodiodes have a faster response time from light irradiation to conversion into an electrical signal.
PIN photodiodes are the most widely used of all photodiodes due to their high sensitivity and fast response time.
Specifically, PIN photodiodes are used in a wide range of applications, including light-receiving elements in CCD and CMOS sensors in digital cameras, optical pickups for CDs and DVDs, remote control receivers, receivers for optical communication systems, light detectors such as photometers and exposure meters, barcode readers, character readers, automotive sunlight sensors and tunnel sensors, and X-ray detectors and radiation detectors.
PIN photodiodes have a structure of a P-type semiconductor and an N-type semiconductor with an insulator I-type semiconductor sandwiched between them.
The P-type semiconductor area is the photosensitive area, the N-type semiconductor side is the substrate side, and the I-type semiconductor area replaces the depletion layer and becomes the light-absorbing area.
When a negative bias is applied to the P layer and a positive bias to the N layer, the holes in the P layer move to the negative side, and the electrons in the N layer move to the positive side, resulting in a depletion layer with almost no carriers in the intermediate layer.
In this state, when light with energy higher than the band gap is irradiated from the P layer side, electrons are photoexcited to become free electrons, and holes are formed in their wake. The holes move to the P layer, resulting in a photocurrent in the PIN photodiodes.
In PIN photodiodes, a reverse bias is applied to the wide depletion layer formed by the I layer, resulting in a faster carrier transfer rate than in PN photodiodes, and thus a faster response time as a photosensor. In addition, the sensitivity is high because the depletion layer, which is the light absorption region, is wide.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. (Vishay) was incorporated in 1962 and is headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania. The company serves the industrial, automotive, telecommunications, consumer products, and medical end markets and sells its products under numerous brand names inlcuding Siliconix, Draloric, Beyschlag, UltraSource, and Applied Thin-Film Products. The company manufactures and sells discrete semiconductors and passive electronic components in globally while operating in six market segments: MOSFETs, diodes, optoelectronic components, resistors, inductors, and capacitors.
Agiltron Inc., founded in 2001 and headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts, is a manufacturer and developer of premium optical and photonic components and systems for communications, sensing, and instrumentation. The company is an ISO 9001 certified optical systems producer with a team of scientists and engineers, and well-equipped modern facilities. It serves markets with both standard products and customer-driven special product development. Its products are based on optical, micromechanical, and electro-optic systems, in combination with its competencies in manufacturing, imaging systems, and infrared photonics.
OSI Optoelectronics, headquartered in Hawthorne, USA, is a manufacturer and supplier of advanced optoelectronics and electronic assemblies. The company’s product portfolio includes photo detectors, laser diodes, medical sensors, and more. It also offers turnkey manufacturing solutions for high tech applications, supporting customers from product development to production. The company’s products and solutions cater to different industries, including aerospace, defense, medical, and life sciences. The company serves clients in the international markets through facilities in multiple locations, including North America, Asia, and Europe while operating under ISO 9001:2015, ISO 13485, among other certifications.
Broadcom Inc., established in 1961, and headquartered in San Jose, California, is a manufacturer and supplier of semiconductor and connectivity solutions. The company specializes in producing products, such as semiconductors, infrastructure software, networking products, storage products, wireless products in which their products cater to industries such as telecommunications, data centers, and consumer electronics. Their products are used for various applications, including wireless communication, networking equipment, data storage, and multimedia devices, providing components for advanced technologies in numerous industrial and commercial sectors.
OMMIC, founded in Lowell, MA, in 1950 is a manufacturer of semiconductor products for Data Center, Telecommunication and Industrial and Defense applications. The company's product portfolio includes Optical Networking Solutions, Lightwave Components, Diodes, MMICs, and SDI Products. The company serves markets including Automotive and Electric Vehicles, Renewable Energy and Energy Storage and Electronics and IT Infrastructure. They have design centers and sales offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia and have ISO9001 international quality standard and ISO14001 environmental management standard.
Pacer USA LLC, founded in 1989 and headquartered in Pangbourne, UK, is a supplier of optoelectronic display and laser solutions. Starting off with a photonics-based portfolio, the company has expanded it to offer displays, sensors, LEDs and a range of other light-based components and systems like optics & lenses, infrared detectors and other specialist photonic detectors. The company has a design centre and offers an end-to-end solution of custom designing from an idea or a concept to prototyping and pre-production into full production. The company conforms to quality management system standards AS9120B and BS EN ISO 9001:2015.
Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc., established in 1959, and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a manufacturer of semiconductors and electronic components. The company specializes in producing integrated circuits, discrete semiconductors, optoelectronic devices, which caters to industries such as telecommunications, automotive, and consumer electronics. The company holds ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 certifications, ensuring quality in their products which are used for various applications, including wireless communication, automotive systems, and industrial automation, providing crucial electronic components for advanced technologies in various industrial and commercial sectors.
Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., established in 1953 and headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a manufacturer of sensors and emitters for both visible and invisible light. It stocks products like LEDs, lamps, and photodiodes used in several industries, including consumer electronics, dental imaging, and environmental monitoring. The sensor and light source components are also available as modules and units that can be incorporated into systems the company develops, like optical measurement systems or imaging systems. The ISO 9001-certified company stocks over 15,000 devices, units, and systems that ship to over 100 destinations worldwide, and it has ten research and production bases.
Albis Optoelectronics, headquartered in Rueschlikon, Switzerland, is a manufacturer and supplier specializing in high-speed PIN and APD photodiodes for fiber optic datacom and telecom applications. The company’s product portfolio includes Ultrafast InGaAs p-i-n photodiodes, Avalanche photodiodes, GaAs p-i-n photodiodes, and more. It also offers speciality photodiodes for diverse applications as well as high speed detector modules up to 60 GHz. The company is ISO 9001:2008 certified and meets Telcordia GR-468 and MIL-STD-883E standards. With representatives in Japan, Korea, Russia and China, the company serves clients in the international markets.
First Sensor is a Berlin-based manufacturer of standard and custom sensor systems for medical, automotive, and industrial applications. Established in 1991, the company specializes in the production of microsystems technology and sensor chips used in complex machinery such as dialysis machines, radiation detectors, fuel injection systems, and airbag control units. The company’s product portfolio includes oxygen sensors for gauging oxygen concentration in gases and liquids, pressure sensors for measuring absolute or differential pressure, and light sensors for calculating optical position and distance. First Sensor is a subsidiary of TE Connectivity, which acquired the company in 2020.
Laser Components was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Olching, Germany. The ISO 9001:2015 certified company also has locations and distributors across Europe and the United States. The company is a manufacturer and researcher for semiconductor technologies and dielectric coatings. Chemicals used include silicon, lithium tantalate, and deuterated L-alanine doped triglycene sulphate, known as DLATGS. The company’s product segments include IR Components, Photo Counters, Lasers, and Fiber Optics. The company’s services include repair, calibration, tool servicing, and job coatings.
Kodenshi Corp. is an ISO 14001 and IATF 16949-certified manufacturer of optical devices that was established in 1972 in Kyoto, Japan. The company’s product lineup includes photointerrupters for sensing motion or positioning, photodiodes for converting light into electrical currents, and phototransistors for amplifying currents generated by photodiodes. It also offers encoders for converting motion into digital signals, and photo couplers for noise reduction or signal isolation. The company’s products are commonly used within the private security and transportation sectors, and have additional applications in the automotive industry.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Albis Optoelectronics AG |
13.2%
|
2 | First Sensor AG |
13.2%
|
3 | Guilin GLsun Science and Tech Group Co.,LTD. |
10.5%
|
4 | Pacer USA LLC |
10.5%
|
5 | Vishay Intertechnology, Inc., |
10.5%
|
6 | Laser Components Germany GmbH |
10.5%
|
7 | MACOM |
7.9%
|
8 | Electronic Products |
5.3%
|
9 | Agiltron Inc. |
5.3%
|
10 | Broadcom |
5.3%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the pin photodiode page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
United States of America | 7 | 53.8% |
Japan | 2 | 15.4% |
Germany | 2 | 15.4% |
Switzerland | 1 | 7.7% |
China | 1 | 7.7% |