The ISL29101 is a low power ambient light-to-voltage optical sensor combining a photodiode array, a current amplifier and a micropower operational amplifier on a single monolithic IC. Similar to the human eye, the photodiode array has a peak response at 550nm and spans from 400nm to 600nm, rejecting UV light and IR light. The output voltage is proportional to the visible light intensity from 0.5 lux up to 10,000 lux. However, the input luminance range can go up to 30,000 lux with some compromise in linearity. A dark current compensation circuit aids the photodiode array to minimize temperature-dependent leakage currents in the absence of light, improving the light sensitivity at low lux levels. Housed in an ultra-compact surface mount 2mm x 2.1mm ODFN clear plastic package, this device is excellent for power saving control functions in cell phones, PDAs, and other handheld applications.