Physics project

Infrared sensor

Introduction

An infrared sensor is an electronic instrument that is used to sense certain characteristics of its
surroundings. It does this by either emitting or detecting infrared radiation. Infrared sensors are also
capable of measuring the heat being emitted by an object and detecting motion. Infrared technology is
found not just in industry, but also in every-day life. Televisions, for example, use an infrared detector to
interpret the signals sent from a remote control. Passive Infrared sensors are used for motion detection
systems, and LDR sensors are used for outdoor lighting systems. The key benefits of infrared sensors
include their low power requirements, their simple circuitry and their portable features.

Objective

IR sensors are now widely used in motion detectors, which are used in building services to switch on
lamps or in alarm systems to detect unwelcome guests.

Material

• Led bulb
• Buzzer
• Connecting wires
• I k ohm resistor
• TSOP 1738 reciever
• 9V battery
• 1000 micro farad capacitor

Working principle

The physics behind infrared sensors is governed by three laws:

Planck’s radiation law:

Every object at a temperature not equal to 0 K emits radiation

Stephan Boltzmann Law: The total energy emitted at all wavelengths by a black body is related to the
absolute temperature
Wein’s Displacement Law: Objects of different temperature emit spectra that peak at different
wavelengths All objects which have a temperature greater than absolute zero (0 Kelvin) posses thermal
energy and are sources of infrared radiation as a result. Sources of infrared radiation include blackbody
radiators, tungsten lamps and silicon carbide. Infrared sensors typically use infrared lasers and LEDs with
specific infrared wavelengths as sources.

Types of IR Sensor

There are two types of IR sensors are available and they are,

Active Infrared Sensor

Passive Infrared Sensor

Active Infrared Sensor

Active infrared sensors consist of two elements: infrared source and infrared detector. Infrared sources
include the LED or infrared laser diode. Infrared detectors include photodiodes or phototransistors. The
energy emitted by the infrared source is reflected by an object and falls on the infrared detector.

Passive Infrared Sensor

Passive infrared sensors are basically Infrared detectors. Passive infrared sensors do not use any infrared
source and detector. They are of two types: quantum and thermal. Thermal infrared sensors use
infrared energy as the source of heat. Thermocouples, pyroelectric detectors and bolometers are the
common types of thermal infrared detectors. Quantum type infrared sensors offer higher detection
performance. It is faster than thermal type infrared detectors. The photo sensitivity of quantum type
detectors is wavelength dependent.

IR Transmitter or IR LED

Infrared Transmitter is a light emitting diode (LED) which emits infrared radiations called as IR LED’s.
Even though an IR LED looks like a normal LED, the radiation emitted by it is invisible to the human eye.

IR Receiver or Photodiode

Infrared receivers or infrared sensors detect the radiation from an IR transmitter. IR receivers come in
the form of photodiodes and phototransistors. Infrared Photodiodes are different from normal photo
diodes as they detect only infrared radiation. Below image shows the picture of an IR receiver or a
photodiode, different types of IR receivers exist based on the wavelength, voltage, package, etc. When
used in an infrared transmitter – receiver combination, the wavelength of the receiver should match
with that of the transmitter. The emitter is an IR LED and the detector is an IR photodiode. The IR
photodiode is sensitive to the IR light emitted by an IR LED. The photo-diode’s resistance and output
voltage change in proportion to the IR light received. This is the underlying working principle of the IR
sensor.

When the IR transmitter emits radiation, it reaches the object and some of the radiation reflects back to
the IR receiver. Based on the intensity of the reception by the IR receiver, the output of the sensor
defines.

Applications of Infrared Sensor

IR sensors have found their applications in most of today’s equipment.

Proximity Sensor

These are used in smart phones to find distance of object. They use principle called Reflective Indirect
Incidence. Radiation transmitted by transmitter is received by receiver after being reflected from object.
Distance is calculated based on the intensity of radiation received.

Item Counter

This use direct incidence method to count the items. Constant radiation is maintained in between
transmitter and receiver. As soon as object cuts the radiation, item is detected and count is increased.
The same count is shown on display system.

Burglar Alarm

This is one of widely and commonly used sensor application. It is another example for direct incidence
method

It works similar to item counter, where transmitter and receiver are kept on both the sides of door
frame. Constant radiation is maintained between transmitter and receiver, whenever object crosses
path alarm starts off.

Radiation Thermometers

It is one of key application of Infrared sensors. Working of radiation thermometer depends on

temperature and type of object.

These have faster response and easy pattern measurements. They can do measurement without direct
contact of object.

Human Body Detection

This method is used in intrusion detection, auto light switches, etc. Intrusion alarm system sense
temperature of human body.

If the temperature is more than threshold value, it sets on the alarms. It uses electromagnetic system
which is suitable for human body in order to protect it from unwanted harmful radiations.

Gas Analyzers

Gas Analyzers are used to measure gas density by using absorption properties of gas in IR region.
Dispersive and Non Dispersive types of gas analyzers are available.

IR sensors are also used in IR imaging devices, optical power meters, sorting devices, missile guidance,
remote sensing, flame monitors, moisture analyzers, night vision devices, infrared astronomy, rail safety,
etc.

Advantages & disadvantages

Advantages

The advantages of IR sensor include the following

• It uses less power

• The detection of motion is possible in the presence or absence of light approximately with equal
reliability.
• They do not need contact with the object for detection
• There is no data leakage because of the ray direction
• These sensors are not affected by oxidation & corrosion
• Noise immunity is very strong

Disadvantages

The disadvantages of IR sensor include the following

• Line of sight is required

• Range is limited
• These can be affected by fog, rain, dust, etc
• Less data transmission rate

Circuit diagram
 Procedure

1. The TSOP 1738 contains 3 pins. Pin 1 is the output which is wired to the negative end of the
LED. Pin 2 is V cc which gets connected to the negative terminal of the9 V battery. Pin 3 is
ground which is connected to the positive of the 9V battery.

2.Connect the positive end of the LED to the 1k ohm resistor.

3. Now connect the buzzer and the 1000 micro farad capacitor in parallel from the negative end
of the led to the end of the resistor.

4.Connect the resistor to the pin 2 of TSOP.

Observation

The LED bulb glows when an IR ray is sent to the TSOP1738 using devices like remotes, etc.

Result

Therefore the submitted projects detects the presence of Irradiation.

Biography

• Ncert class 12 textbook

• https://google.com//images
• https://en.wikipedia.org