Vishay Optical Sensors

Vishay Optical Sensor portfolio includes reflective, transmissive, and ambient light sensors. These feature either analog or digital output. They are used in consumer, computing, industrial, and automotive applications. Reflective and transmissive sensors are typically used to detect the presence of an object, and to determine its directional motion and speed. Ambient light sensors are used to measure the environment’s light level. Sensing the color of an object, a gesture of a hand, the heart rate of a person, or the rate of rainfall are all possible with Vishay optical components.

Product Types

Vishay Transmissive Sensors feature single, dual, tri, and quad-channel phototransistor output. They are used to detect the presence of an object, its direction and speed, turn and push function, and absolute position. These devices are AEC-Q101 qualified and operate at temperatures of up to 125°C.

View Vishay Transmissive Sensors

Vishay Reflective Sensors can be used to detect the presence of an object and its relative proximity. They are available with analog current output or digital output via I²C interface. The sensors emit pulses of infrared light, which reflect off an object back to the sensor. The strength of that reflected signal is used to determine the proximity of the object. A change in the reflected signal strength can be used to determine if an object is moving toward or away from the sensor. Detection ranges are available from a few millimeters up to 2 meters. VCSEL-based digital proximity sensors have current consumption as low as 18µA, making them ideal for battery-operated devices.

View Vishay Digital Proximity Sensors & Analog Reflective Sensors

Vishay Ambient Light Sensors with digital output are used to detect the lux level similar to the human eye. They are most commonly found in industrial lighting, consumer electronics, and automotive applications, where they allow settings to be adjusted automatically in response to changing ambient light conditions. Vishay’s color sensors with digital output offer 16-bit resolution for each red, blue, green, white, and infrared channel.

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Infrared emitters are available with 810nm, 830nm, 870nm, 890nm, and 940nm peak wavelengths. They come in a wide variety of intensities, angle of half intensity, and surface mount and through-hole packages. Photodetectors are available in either phototransistor or PIN photodiode construction and complement the emitters in peak wavelength sensitivity, angle of half sensitivity, and available packages. Ambient light sensors, with analog output, are used to turn on or off something depending on whether it is dark or light. They are available in photodiode or phototransistor construction.

View Vishay Infrared Emitters, Photodetectors & Ambient Light Sensors