Documentation

The TCRT1000 is used on the Khepera2, the e-Puck and on the Didelbot. Since Didel order them in quantities, we can sell them for a good price.
The specifications can be found on http://www.vishay.com/docs/83752/tcrt1000.pdf

Competitors of the TCRT1000 are the CNY-70 and the SFH9201

The principle is to send current in the IR diode, and measure the voltage drop on the prototransistor. RL is selected to have half voltage for a preferred distance. Sensitivity to ambient light can be reduced by measuring the dark current, the current with the IR LED on, and do sme difference.

See for more (doc in French) www.didel.com/doc/sens/DocIrt.pdf

CNY-70, available from Conrad Switzerland at 3.45 CHF, and from ELV at a better better price of 0.59 Euros
http://elv.de/

SFH9201 SMD available from Distrelec (No 631841) at 2.15 CHF.

Conrad Switzerland offers it at 4.95CHF