Light Alarm

SPEC Workshop

Submitted in fulfillment of the

Requirement for SPEC Workshop

In

Electronics & Communication Engineering

by
Gaurav Kumar

(09432)

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS & COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
HAMIRPUR-177005, HP (INDIA)
August 2011

Objective:
To construct light sensor using Light Dependent Resistor and astable multivibrator.

Components:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Resistors 47k, 10k, 33R

Capacitors 100n
BJT BC547
LDR ORP12
Speaker 9V, 8R
Battery 9V

Apparatus:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

General PCB
Wires
Soldering Iron
Solder
Power Supply

Theory:
A photoresistor or light dependent resistor (LDR) is a resistor whose resistance decreases
with increasing incident light intensity. It can also be referred to as a photoconductor.
A photoresistor is made of a high resistance semiconductor. If light falling on the device is of
high enough frequency, photons absorbed by the semiconductor give bound electrons
enough energy to jump into the conduction band. The resulting free electron (and its hole
partner) conduct electricity, thereby lowering resistance.

Circuit Diagram:

Working:
This circuit operates when the Light Dependent Resistor receives light. When no light falls
on the LDR, its resistance is high and the transistor driving the speaker is not turned on.
When light falls on the LDR its resistance decreases and the collector of the second
transistor falls. This turns off the first transistor slightly via the second 100n and the first
100n puts an additional spike into the base of the second transistor. This continues until the
second transistor is turned on as hard as it can go. The first 100n is now nearly charged and
it cannot keep the second transistor turned on. The second transistor starts to turn off and
both transistors swap conditions to produce the second half of the cycle.

Applications:
1. Home Security system
2. Power saver using Light Automation
3. Proximity sensor

References:
1. 200 Transistor Circuits by Colin Mitchell
2. Wikipedia