Optoelectronic sensor and method for recording objects in a monitoring area

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide: a photoelectric sensor including avalanche photodiode elements operated in a Geiger mode and capable of improving detection of light; and a method of detecting objects in a monitoring area.SOLUTION: A photoelectric sensor (10) includes: a photoreceiver (30) including a plurality of avalanche photodiode elements for detecting reception light (20) from a monitoring area (18); and a reception optical system (22) located upstream of the photoreceiver (30). Each of the avalanche photodiode elements is impressed with a bias voltage above a breakdown voltage and is thus operated in a Geiger-mode. The reception optical system (22) comprises a focusing element (24) and a diaphragm (26). The diaphragm (26) is arranged in a far field focal plane of the focusing element (24), and the reception optical system (22) further includes an optical funnel element (28) located between the diaphragm (26) and the photoreceiver (30).