Investigating the response of a light-dependent resistor to structured light

Abstract

We show that the response of a light-dependent resistor (LDR) is not only influenced by the intensity and wavelength of the incident light but also by the spatial structure of light striking the LDR's surface. By modeling the LDR as an amplitude-type mask and using numerical simulations, we demonstrate that aligning the spatial structure of the incident light with the LDR's orientation leads to higher conductivity. We confirm these numerical results by constructing a proof-of-concept experiment using a voltage divider circuit and an SLM which changes the spatial structure of the incident light. This highlights the importance of considering spatial characteristics in LDR response and opens up possibilities for the potential of LDR in optical sensing applications.