Integrated Circuit with A Clear Package

[u/bunchowills]

TI sells a light-sensing IC (OPT3001). Since it needs to detect light, the package is clear. I think this is very cool. A couple pictures have a quarter for scale.

[u/WRfleete]

I have some SOT-23 packaged bi-colour LEDs.

[u/Cheetawolf]

Normal black IC's are so boring.

If I ever got into the electronics business I'd make my IC's clear wherever possible.

[u/nixielover → u/Cheetawolf]

which is almost never since the die is quite sensitive to light, hence why we go for opaque black :)

[u/WRfleete → u/Cheetawolf]

Unless they’re optoelectronics (LEDs or sensors) or an old erasable EPROM or micro etc with the quartz window for UV erasing there is a reason the package is opaque to light. PN junctions in IC’s are photo sensitive. Occasionally some smaller devices use “flip chips” which is basically a bare die but bright lights can cause issues (some Raspberry Pi’s would crash if a photo flash was used near one of the chips)

[u/sawkonmaicok → u/WRfleete]

Your transistors become solar panels momentarily. ;)

[u/ILoveDangerousStuff2 → u/sawkonmaicok]

Wait until you learn that they also under most circumstances emit light whenever they're powered on that one can be a sneaky one

[u/gihutgishuiruv → u/ILoveDangerousStuff2]

With the right attitude, any component can be light-emitting :p

[u/ILoveDangerousStuff2 → u/gihutgishuiruv]

I don't just mean when they blow up but regular operation

[u/Botlawson → u/WRfleete]

Even discrete diodes in a glass case have an easily detected photo-current. This is also how CMOS image sensors were developed. Someone de-lidded a cmos dram and focused an image on it.

[u/reallynotfred → u/Botlawson]

You could buy a kit with a ram chip built into a package with a quartz window as an early (and low rez) digital camera

[u/PleasantCandidate785 → u/Cheetawolf]

Google the "Photo-shy Raspberry Pi". One of the Raspberry Pi revisions shipped with a chip with an exposed bottom die. When people would take pictures of board in operation with a flash camera, light would reflect off the board into the small gap under the chip, into the exposed die and the board would crash.

[u/kbfg2421]

That is so neat!

[u/Nyasaki_de]

The second image is cool as hell

[u/ssxhoell1 → u/Nyasaki_de]

It's just dirty

[u/compu85]

The IC in Xerox optical mice is also clear! Optical sensor is on the bottom and the microcontroller is on top.

[u/NovelHot6697]

more 👏of👏 this👏

[u/Strostkovy]

Radioshack sold an 8 pin DIP light sensor in a clear package. It converted light strength to pulse frequency or duty cycle.

[u/ToranjaAzeda]

What kind of camera/lens did you use for these?

[u/bunchowills → u/ToranjaAzeda]

Its a canon R50 V with a 24mm pancake lens and some macro lens attachments. Though, I've taken pictures that were just this good with an older canon DSLR. It's not that expensive to get into if you already have a camera and stock lens! U just need macro attachments, which are like $20 from amazon.

[u/ToranjaAzeda → u/bunchowills]

Thanks! Good to know that's an easy an inexpensive way to do it.

[u/Alokeen011]

I hate how tiny components have gotten. My eyes just... can't. :D :D