Low Voltage Digital Output Hall Effect Sensors

February 20, 2013 - Tessenderlo, Belgium. Melexis has announced the MLX92212 family of digital output Hall effect sensors. Built on an advanced CMOS process these AEC-Q100-qualified devices deliver robust, automotive level performance at competitive price points. They also require significantly less operating current than competing devices on the market.

The MLX92212LSE-AAA low hysteresis bipolar latch and MLX92212LSE-ABA high hysteresis unipolar switch are optimized for 2.5V to 5.5V operation, making them suitable for pairing with many low power microcontrollers in embedded systems. Both the sensor and specified microcontroller can thereby share the same power rail. The sensors’ open-drain outputs allow simple connectivity with TTL/CMOS logic. They exhibit minimal magnetic switch point drift over temperature (up to 150 °C) or lifetime and can withstand 8kV electro-static discharge.

The MLX92212LSE-AAA is designed for use with multi-pole ring magnets or alternating magnetic fields. It is highly suited for BLDC motor commutation, speed sensing and magnetic encoder applications. Typical automotive uses include anti-trap/anti-pinch window lift controls, automatic door/hatch systems and automatic power seat positioning.The MLX92212LSE-ABA allows use of generic/weakmagnets or larger air gaps. It can be employed in simple magnetic proximity sensing, interlocks in covers/hatches or ferrous-vane interrupt sensors for precise position and timing applications.

Both types of MLX92212 device utilize chopper-stabilized amplifiers with switched capacitors to suppress the offset generally observed with Hall sensors and amplifiers. The CMOS technology makes this advanced technique possible. It also contributes to the lower current consumption and smaller chip size (an important factor to minimize the effect of physical stress). The combination of all these factors results in more stable magnetic characteristics and enables faster, more precise sensor module designs.