LDR Sensor: Light Dependent Resistor

Photoresistors, also known as light-dependent resistors or LDRs, are

components that change their resistance to electricity based on the amount of
light they receive. They are almost exactly what they sound like: two-terminal
devices that resist the flow of electrical current in a circuit, with decreasing
resistance based on the amount of light received.

How to Connect an LDR Sensor to Arduino

Arduino boards and the like can’t sense resistance directly, so you’ll need to set
up a voltage divider (as shown in the above image). Here the 5V pin from
an Arduino Uno  is connected to an LDR, while the other leg is connected to A0
and a ~50 ohm resistor. The other leg of this resistor is connected to ground,
forming a voltage divider and allowing A0 to sense the relative resistance of
each leg. The result is a number that can be correlated to different light
levels. Code found here  is used to analyze this setup in the Arduino IDE,
recycled from this soil moisture sensing post . As with the following
phototransistor experiment, you can add in a delay() function to the sketch if
the serial monitor is getting too “clogged.”
Easy to implement and very inexpensive, LDRs are the go-to sensing method
for many projects. Note that like “normal” resistors, LDRs come in different low-
and full-light resistance values. Be sure to consider that when buying/spec’ing
these components, as one may work better than another for your application.

Phototransistor Circuit with Arduino

Phototransistors react to light by varying current flow from collector to emitter in

the same manner as a normal transistor, but are activated by light instead of an
external current input to the base. The collector here is connected to +5V on
the Arduino, while the emitter leg is connected to A0, along with ground through
a ~50 ohm resistor.
The setup here is nearly identical to the photoresistor arrangement seen earlier,
and the same code works here as well. However, expect the values
corresponding to different light intensities to be different.
Note that the base leg of the BPV11 component  used here is broken out, but
it’s not needed in this case and is left unconnected. When connected to a
positive 5V, the output will be high, while connecting it to ground gives a low
output. Some phototransistors omit this lead altogether as a two-legged
version. There may be applications where you’d want to override the
component’s light-sensing function, or compensate for certain light levels with
the base, so the three-legged version is appropriate in some circumstances.

Photodiode & Arduino

Another option for light detection is the photodiode. One difficulty with Arduino
experimentation with this device is that many come as a surface-mount
device, such as this VEMD5510CF , requiring rather advanced soldering skills
if you don’t have a printed circuit board for it. Others, like the  BPW83
component , are through-hole, but are designed to sense light in the infrared
spectrum. Still, these components certainly have appropriate use cases, so
don’t forget about this option, especially when putting together a circuit for
mass production.

Light Sensors & Wavelength: More Considerations

Whatever technology you choose to sense light, it is important to pay attention
to the wavelength range to which it responds. 380–740 nanometers is the
approximate range that our eyes can see. Others filter out visible light to
respond to IR remote controls and the like. Different ranges are useful in their
own right, but engineers and designers must be careful to spec’ the correct part
to avoid frustration .