photodetector: Meaning and Definition of

pho•to•de•tec•tor

Pronunciation: (fō'tō-di-tek"tur), [key]
— n.
  1. photosensor.
  2. any device, as a photodiode, phototube, or photovoltaic cell, that uses the photoelectric effect to convert radiant energy into an electrical signal.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.