Optical Communications Questions and Answers – Optical Detection Principles

This set of Optical Communications Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs) focuses on “Optical Detection Principles”.

1. P-n photodiode is forward biased.
a) True
b) False
View Answer

Answer: b
Explanation: p-n photodiode includes p and n regions. The electric field developed across the p-n junction sweeps holes and electrons to p and n regions respectively. P-n photodiode is thus reverse biased due to reverse leakage current.

2. The depletion region must be ____________ to allow a large fraction of the incident light to be absorbed in the device(photodiode).
a) Thick
b) Thin
c) Long
d) Inactive
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: In p-n photodiode, intrinsic conditions are created in the depletion region. The depletion region must be thick in order to achieve maximum carrier pair generation. Also, its width must be limited to enhance the speed of operation of the p-n photodiode.

3. The process of excitation of an electron from valence band to conduction band leaves an empty hole in the valence band and is called as ____________
a) Detection
b) Absorption
c) Degeneration of an electron-hole pair
d) Regeneration of an electron-hole pair
View Answer

Answer: d
Explanation: A photon is incident in the depletion region of a device has an energy greater than or equal to the band gap energy of the fabricating material. This will cause excitation of an electron from valence to the conduction band. This creates an empty hole in valence band which is referred to as photo-generation of an electron-hole pair.
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4. __________________ always leads to the generation of a hole and an electron.
a) Repulsion
b) Dispersion
c) Absorption
d) Attenuation
View Answer

Answer: c
Explanation: Absorption affects the electron and excites it to some other level say conduction band. This is called as photo-generation as absorption always leads to the generation of hole and electron. This does not mean that both contribute to the electronic transport.

5. The electron hole pairs generated in a photodiode are separated by the ____________
a) Magnetic field
b) Electric field
c) Static field
d) Depletion region
View Answer

Answer: b
Explanation: Electric field separates the electron-hole pairs in a photodiode. The electric field distribution is determined by an internal and an external field component. A reverse bias voltage is usually applied to the p-n photodiode.

6. Electric field in the depletion region should be high.
a) True
b) False
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: The electric field in the depletion region is always kept high in order to extract all photogenerated carriers. Only the extracted electron hole pairs contribute to the overall photocurrent.

7. The photocurrent of an optical detector should be __________
a) Less
b) More
c) Linear
d) Non-linear
View Answer

Answer: c
Explanation: A linear relationship must exist between the intensity of the incident light and the photocurrent. This makes the photodiode free of noise. It increases system performance.
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8. How many types of optical detectors are available?
a) One
b) Four
c) Two
d) Three
View Answer

Answer: d
Explanation: Three types of optical detectors are available. These are diodes, photoconductors and photo-transistors. Diodes include p-n photodiodes, p-i-n diodes, avalanche photodiodes and schottky diodes.

Sanfoundry Global Education & Learning Series – Optical Communications.

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To practice all areas of Optical Communications, here is complete set of 1000+ Multiple Choice Questions and Answers.

If you find a mistake in question / option / answer, kindly take a screenshot and email to [email protected]

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Manish Bhojasia - Founder & CTO at Sanfoundry
Manish Bhojasia, a technology veteran with 20+ years @ Cisco & Wipro, is Founder and CTO at Sanfoundry. He lives in Bangalore, and focuses on development of Linux Kernel, SAN Technologies, Advanced C, Data Structures & Alogrithms. Stay connected with him at LinkedIn.

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