Design of PSD based solar direction sensor

For the purpose of high-accuracy detection and tracking of sun position, a measuring sensor based on Position Sensitive Detectors（PSD）has been designed. The PSD is installed at the bottom of the canister which has a narrow light pinhole so that light could pass through it. Sunlight spot projects on the surface of the PSD and then the information about position can be captured through PSD. The solar position information can be changed into electrical signal by signal processing circuit, which can be further send to the follow-up system. The experimental results show that the accuracy of this sensor is about 0.05°at ±12°acceptable angle, and this sensor can run stably and can work as designed.

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