Amrita School of Engineering, Coimbatore

M.Tech(BME)

LUX METER

Name: Sarguna R
Roll Number: CB.EN.P2BME13008

Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering

Page 1 of 9

Amrita School of Engineering, Coimbatore

M.Tech(BME)

SPECIFICATIONS
1. Characterize the given lab LEDs Red, Green, Blue and White; Input Current vs. Intensity
(using a standard Lux meter available in the lab); Intensity vs. Distance;
2. Characterize the given photodiode in both photovoltaic and photoconductive modes, using
the calibrated LEDs
3. Test and validate it against unknown light sources.
4. The calibration curve is to be stored and the measured light intensity to be displayed on an
LCD.
5. The error should be less than 3%, when compared against the commercial Lux Meter
available in the Lab.

BLOCK DIAGRAM

SOURCE

LCD

PHOTODETECTOR

MICROCONTROLLER

CURRENT TO
VOLTAGE
CONVERTER

VOLTAGE
AMPLIFIER

SOURCE

Voltage
regulator

Voltage
divider

Voltage
Follower

Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering

Howland
current
pump

LED

Page 2 of 9

Amrita School of Engineering, Coimbatore

M.Tech(BME)

SOURCE
DESIGN
Voltage Regulator : LM7812.
Voltage Divider :
Assuming RA=22k ,

RB=15.71k
Voltage Follower : OP07.
Howland Current pump:

Maximum current through LED,

20mA

Using Standard Value,

Voltage compliance,

Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering

Page 3 of 9

Amrita School of Engineering, Coimbatore

M.Tech(BME)

SIMULATION RESULT

Inference:
As standard resistance value of 270 is used, the output current i0 is 18.5mA. The Output
current is constant only for the range of load values upto 330 after which the current
reduces.This is because, with increase in load voltage, current drops due to loading.The
voltage compliance becomes
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering

Page 4 of 9

Amrita School of Engineering, Coimbatore

M.Tech(BME)

EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
Howland Current Source Characterization
RL(ohms) I0(mA)
10
18.60
15
18.58
25
18.53
47
18.48
69
18.41
100
18.32
120
18.27
147
18.21
169
18.11
200
18.02
210
17.99
215
18.03
247
17.91
269
17.94
270
17.94
280
17.85
300
17.85
330
17.36
500
14.50
600
12.50
1000
8.06

20.00
18.00

Current (mA)

16.00
14.00
12.00
10.00
8.00
6.00
4.00
2.00
0.00
0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Resistance RL (ohms)

Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering

Page 5 of 9

Amrita School of Engineering, Coimbatore

M.Tech(BME)

Inference:
Experimental results vary with the simulation results due to the changes in regulated supply
voltage from the voltage regulator LM7812 which has an output voltage tolerance of
.Output impedence of the Howland Current source was found to be 524.

CHARACTERIZATION OF LED
Red, green, blue and white LEDs were characterized using a LUX meter from SIGMA
Instruments to measure the intensity and current was supplied using the Howland current
source.
Current(mA) Ev,red(lux)
Ev,green(lux)
Ev,blue(lux)
Ev,white(lux)
2.10
38.8
2.8
46.5
142.9
3.70
70.9
5.2
82.1
231
4.00
77.9
5.7
95.6
244
6.20
124.2
8.4
225
351
7.70
155
9.5
276
407
9.10
184.1
11.8
339
453
11.50
234
14.1
494
526
12.60
254
17.2
537
565
14.10
278
19
751
618
15.00
295
20.8
796
647
16.00
310
21.3
857
753
16.80
323
23.9
866
802
17.60
333
24.9
1021
835
18.40
350
25.3
1030
875
18.80
354
25.9
1072
891
19.30
359
26.6
1117
902
19.90
373
27.2
1201
946
21.10
382
28.2
1221
950

Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering

Page 6 of 9

Amrita School of Engineering, Coimbatore

M.Tech(BME)

1400

Intensity , Ev (lux)

1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

Current, I (mA)

CURRENT TO VOLTAGE CONVERTER and VOLTAGE AMPLIFIER

DESIGN
Current to Voltage Converter
Assuming I=20A
=
Sensitivity 10V/mA
Voltage Amplifier
Assuming Gain of 20,

=20k,

=1k

Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering

Page 7 of 9

Amrita School of Engineering, Coimbatore

M.Tech(BME)

SIMULATION AND CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

Inference:
Simulation and design matches closely. Experimental results were not obtained.
EXPERIMENTAL SETUP

Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering

Page 8 of 9

Amrita School of Engineering, Coimbatore

M.Tech(BME)

REFERENCES:
[1] Sergio Franco, Current-to-Voltage Converters in Design with operational amplifiers

and analog integrated circuits, 3rd ed., NY, McGraw- Hill Companies, 1998, ch. 2, sec. 2.1,
pp.61-63.
[2] Sergio Franco, Voltage-to-Current Converters in Design with operational amplifiers
and analog integrated circuits,3rd ed., NY, McGraw- Hill Companies,1998, ch. 2, sec. 2.2,
pp.63-71.

Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering

Page 9 of 9