A low cost high resolution optical position sensor

A fast high-resolution analog position sensor that provides real-time analog output corresponding to the position of the centroid of a diffuse optical source focused on its surface, is described. Theoretical performance equations are presented. Linear and two-dimensional position sensors have been fabricated and tested to verify the basic theory. Analytic results for system static transfer function and transient response are presented and verified experimentally for a 3-μm p-well CMOS process. The main component sensitivities are identified and verified using computer-aided modeling techniques