1. A device that converts light or electromagnetic radiation into an electrical signal.
Usage: technical; commonly used in physics, engineering, and telecommunications

Examples

• The photodetector in the camera sensor converts incoming light into digital information.
• Fiber-optic communication systems rely on photodetectors to receive signals transmitted as light pulses.
• A photodetector was used to measure the intensity of the laser beam in the experiment.
• Modern smartphones contain multiple photodetectors for ambient light sensing and facial recognition.
• The telescope's photodetector allowed astronomers to capture extremely faint signals from distant stars.
• Photodetectors are essential components in medical imaging devices such as PET scanners.