photo-transistor

pho·to·tran·sis·tor

[foh-toh-tran-zis-ter]
noun Electronics.
a transistor that amplifies current induced by photoconductivity.
Origin:
1945–50; photo- + transistor

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
phototransistor (ˌfəʊtəʊtrænˈzɪstə) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—n
a junction transistor, whose base signal is generated by illumination of the base. The emitter current, and hence collector current, increases with the intensity of the light

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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00:10
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
phototransistor   (fō'tō-trān-zĭs'tər)  Pronunciation Key 
A transistor that regulates current or switches it on and off based on the intensity of the light it is exposed to rather than an external electric signal. Phototransistors are used in many electric-eye applications, including digital cameras, in which millions of tiny phototransistors map an image into an array of electrical signals. See also photoelectric effect.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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