Digilent Pmod ALS Ambient Light Sensor Module - 6-Pin SPI Interface

The Pmod ALS is designed to operate with a 3.3V logic supply, which is standard for the Pmod Type 2 SPI interface. Always power it from a compatible 3.3V host board or a regulated 3.3V supply. Exceeding this voltage can damage the onboard ADC081S021 converter and TEMT6000X01 sensor.

Connect the module's 6-pin header to your host controller's SPI port. The pinout follows Pmod Type 2: pins 1 & 4 are Chip Select (CS) and GND, pins 2 & 5 are MOSI and SCK, and pins 3 & 6 are MISO and VCC (3.3V). Use standard SPI commands to read the 8-bit digital value from the ADC081S021, which corresponds to the ambient light level detected by the TEMT6000X01 phototransistor.

The Pmod ALS provides a relative digital output proportional to light intensity, not a calibrated Lux value. For approximate Lux conversion, you must characterize the sensor's response curve against a known light source. It is ideal for applications requiring relative light level changes, such as auto-brightness control, rather than absolute photometric measurements.

Yes, it is compatible with both platforms using a Pmod shield or adapter. For Arduino, use a 3.3V-compatible shield with SPI pins. For Raspberry Pi, connect via GPIO pins, ensuring logic level compatibility (3.3V). You will need to write or utilize an SPI library to communicate with the ADC081S021 chip on the module.