dark current
Noun
Meaning
dark current (plural dark currents)
(physics) The temperature-dependent current that flows in a photodetector when no light is shining on it.
Examples
Dark current must be accounted for by calibration if a photodiode is used to make an accurate optical power measurement, and it is also a source of noise when a photodiode is used in an optical communication system.
; Dark current : The current through the photodiode in the absence of light, when it is operated in photoconductive mode.