INDEX

SL Title Pg No.
NO.
1. Introduction 1
2. Aim 2
3. Infrared Radiation Theory 2
4. The Foundation Of Infrared science 3
5. The Types Of Infrared Sensors 3-5
6. The Working Principle Of Infrared Sensors 5-6

7. The Key Applications of Infrared Sensors 6-11

8. Advantages Of Infrared Sensors 11
9. Disadvantages of Infrared Sensors 12
10. Materials Required 13
11. Circuit Diagram 13
12. Procedure 14
13. Observation 14
14. Result 14
15. Gallery 15-16
16. Bibliography 17
 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.

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Aim:
To construct a working model of a
infrared remote sensor

Theory:
Infrared Radiation Theory
Infrared waves are not visible to the human eye. In the
electromagnetic spectrum, infrared radiation can be found
between the visible and microwave regions. The infrared
waves typically have wavelengths between 0.75 and
1000µm.

The infrared spectrum can be split into near IR, mid IR and
far IR. The wavelength region from 0.75 to 3µm is known as
the near infrared region. The region between 3 and 6µm is
known as the mid-infrared region, and infrared radiation
which has a wavelength greater higher than 6µm is known as
far infrared.

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 The Foundations of Infrared Science
The theory of infrared spectroscopy had been around since
F.W. Herschel discovered infrared light in 1800. Herschel
conducted an experiment using a prism to refract light from
the sun and was able to detect the presence of infrared
radiation beyond the red part of the visible spectrum using a
thermometer to measure an increase in temperature.

The Types of Infrared Sensors

IR sensors can be classified in two types based on presence

of IR source:

 Active Infrared Sensor

 Passive Infrared Sensor

Active Infrared Sensor

Active Infrared Sensor contains both transmitter and

receiver. Most of the cases LED or laser diode is used as
source. LED for non-imaging IR sensor and laser diode for
imaging IR sensor are used.

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Active IR Sensor works by radiating energy, received and
detected by detector and further processed by signal
processor in order to fetch information required.

Examples of Active IR Sensor: Break Beam Sensor,

Reflectance Sensor.

Passive Infrared Sensor

Passive Infrared Sensor contains detectors alone. There

won’t be a transmitter component.

These type of sensors use object as IR source/ transmitter.

Object radiates energy and it is detected by IR receivers. A
Signal processor is then used to interpret the signal to fetch
information required.

Example of Passive IR Sensor: Thermocouple-Thermopile,

Bolometer, Pyro-Electric Detector, etc.

There are two types of Passive Infrared Sensor:

 Thermal infrared sensors – use infrared energy as

heat. Their photo sensitivity is independent of the
wavelength being detected. Thermal detectors do not
require cooling but do have slow response times and
low detection capabilities.
 Quantum infrared sensors – provide higher detection
performance and faster response speed. Their photo
sensitivity is dependent on wavelength. Quantum

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 detectors have to be cooled in order to obtain accurate
measurements.

The Working Principle of Infrared

Sensors
The physics behind infrared sensors is governed by three
laws:

 Planck’s radiation law: Every object at a temperature T

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.
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A transmission medium is required for infrared transmission,
which can be comprised of either a vacuum, the atmosphere
or an optical fiber.

Optical components such as optical lenses made from quartz,

CaF2, Ge and Si, polyethylene Fresnel lenses and Al or Au
mirrors are used to converge or focus the infrared radiation.
In order to limit spectral response, band-pass filters can be
used.

Next, infrared detectors are used to detect the radiation

which has been focused. The output from the detector is
usually very small and hence pre-amplifiers coupled with
circuitry are required to further process the received signals.

The Key Applications Of Infrared

Technology
Night Vision Devices

Infrared technology is implemented in night vision

equipment if there is not enough visible light available to see
unaided. Night vision devices convert ambient photons of
light into electrons and then amplify them using a chemical
and electrical process before finally converting them back
into visible light

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Infrared Astronomy

Infrared astronomy is a field of astronomy which studies

astronomical objects that are visible in infrared radiation. By
using telescopes and solid-state detectors, astronomers are
able to observe objects in the universe which are impossible
to detect using light in the visible range of the
electromagnetic spectrum.

Infrared observatories have been set up in space such as the

Spitzer Space Telescope and the Herschel Space Observatory
have been set up in space. The observatories are not affected
by the absorption of infrared light by water vapour in the
Earth's atmosphere.

Infrared Tracking

Infrared tracking, also known as infrared homing, is a missile

guidance system which operates using the infrared
electromagnetic radiation emitted from a target to track it.
These missile systems are often known as 'heat-seekers' as
infrared is radiated strongly by hot bodies such as people,
vehicles and aircraft.

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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.

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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.

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Art History and Restoration

Infrared reflectography is used by art historians in order to

reveal hidden layers in paintings. This reflectography
technique is useful in helping to decide whether a painting is
an original version or a copy, and whether it has been altered
by restoration work.

Hyperspectral Imaging

Hyperspectral imaging accumulates and processes

information from across the electromagnetic spectrum and
can be used to track nanoparticles inside large living
organisms.

Other Key Application Areas

Other key application areas that use infrared sensors include:

 Climatology

 Meteorology

 Photobiomodulation

 Gas detectors

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  Water analysis

 Anesthesiology testing

 Petroleum exploration

 Rail safety

Advantages of Infrared Sensor

The advantages of Infrared Sensor are:
 Their low power requirements make them suitable for most
electronic devices such as laptops, telephones, PDAs.

 They are capable of detecting motion in presence/ absence of

light almost with same reliability.

 They do not require contact with object to for detection.

 There is no leakage of data due to beam directionality IR

radiation.

 They are not affected by corrosion or oxidation.

 They have very strong noise immunity.

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 Disadvantages of Infrared Sensor
The disadvantages of Infrared Sensor are:
 Required Line of sight.

 Get blocked by common objects.

 Limited range.

 Can be affected by Environmental conditions such as rain,

fog, dust, pollution, etc.

 Transmission Data rate is slow.

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 Materials Required:
 Led bulb
 Buzzer
 Connecting wires
 1k ohm resistor
 TSOP 1738 receiver
 9V battery
 1000 micro farad capacitor

Circuit Diagram:
BUZZER
TSOP
1738
R
C

VCC
GND

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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
Vcc which gets connected to the negative terminal of the
9V 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 TSOP
1738 using devices like remotes, etc.

Result:
Therefore the submitted projects detects the presence of IR
radiation.

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 Gallery

How Infrared Sensor Works Active Infrared Sensor

Passive Infrared Sensor

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 Bibliography
 https://www.azosensors.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=
339
 https://electricalfundablog.com/infrared-sensor/
 https://en.wikipedia.org
 https:/google.com/images
 Ncert class 12 textbook

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