Abstract
This work presents a novel current mode ultra low power ambient light sensor for distributed sensor node application. Thissensor features minimum supply voltage (<1.2V) for meeting the low power requirement, by a successive approximation register logic combined with progressive sizing current mirrors for analog-to-digital conversion, The current-mode operation simplifies the ADC circuit by eliminating the capacitors array, which further reduces its power consumption. Furthermore, controlling theadjustable dynamic range for indoor or outdoor sensing can be obtained by clock frequency. This current mode sensor provides a promising solution for distributed environmental sensing modulesunder tight energy budgets.