Polymer infrared proximity sensor

Abstract

A proximity sensor that combines a polymer light-emitting diode and a polymer photodiode is presented. The operation wavelength is in the near infrared from 700 to 850 nm. The infrared emission is obtained by adding a color conversion film of polyvinylpyrrolidone polymer matrix blended with infrared dye 1,1-diethyl-2,2-dicarbocyanine iodide to a red polymer light-emitting diode. The photodetector relies on the direct charge-transfer exciton generation in a donor-acceptor polymer blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and (6,6)-phenyl-C(61)-butyric acid methyl ester. The detection distance is up to 19 cm for objects with various colors and roughness under ambient indoor lighting. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.