I am experiencing large distance measuring errors on VL53L0X depending on the material surface.

[CBarb.1]

I am trying to measure distance to an object, like an iPhone laying flat at 60 mm above the VL53L0X when the phone faces its black rubbery cover (back) I get the correct reading but when I flip it over to the shiny front glass surface it reads approximately half the distance which is incorrect. Is there anything that can be done to correct this issue ?

[John E KVAM]

You have pretty much figured out the extremes. Dull flat black is maybe 5% reflective and very Lambertian. The front of the phone is specular (mirror like).

Lambertian just means not mirror-like and refers to anything that reflects photon is random directions.

And these will give you the most extreme variation in your accuracy tests.

The couple cm difference in your measurements is why we set the accuracy numbers we did in the datasheet. Most other surfaces will do much better.

One thing you can do. Apply some tailoring of the result based on the signal strength.

It will never be perfectly accurate, but it will get you closer.

• john