A transistor that uses light rather than electricity to cause an electrical current to flow from one side to the other. It is used in a variety of sensors that detect the presence of light. Phototransistors combine a photodiode and transistor together to generate more output current than a photodiode by itself. See photoelectric, photodiode and transistor.
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2008 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
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