Arduino Automated LED Stairway Lighting.
http://www2.cs.uidaho.edu/~lawrench/electrical_projects/stairway_lighting/stairway40.html
This project uses the Radio Shack emitter/detector LED pair 276-142 – There is no modulation of the ir signal. The project includes detailed descriptions plus photographs of the Arduino and breadboard configuration.
Here is some more information about the RS ir emitter/detector pair
http://www.societyofrobots.com/schematics_infraredemitdet.shtml