My Note taking for IR receivers and IR photoresistors using arduino or nodemcu platforms.
Currently, I'm using the following IR photoresistor (also called an IR diode?), mostly by accident because I thought it was an IR receiver. I didn't think there would be a difference between the three pin infrared receiver and the two pin infrared receiver. Oops.
http://www.gikfun.com/leds-c-6_51/5mm-940nm-leds-infrared-emitter-and-ir-receiver-diode-p-519.html
https://forum.arduino.cc/t/cant-get-an-ir-photoresistor-to-work/698649/1
These are very basic components geared towards proximity testing.