Micronas extends its successful HAL 24xy family of programmable linear Hall sensors with new package and interface variants

Following the successful launch of its HAL 24xy sensor family with HAL 2420 and HAL 2425 derivatives, Micronas now presents the HAL 2455 with PWM output and makes available all derivatives in SMD packages

Freiburg, September 25, 2013 – Micronas (SIX Swiss Exchange: MASN), known and recognized in the automotive and industrial business as a global partner for intelligent, sensor-based system solutions, today announces the extension of its HAL 24xy family by the high-precision, programmable HAL 2455 Hall-effect sensor with PWM-output. Micronas HAL 24xy family offers robust sensor solutions with high temperature stability, a wide-range of diagnostics functions and a very effective protective circuitry.

The HAL 24xy family is based on the latest Micronas semiconductor CMOS technology with an optimized digital architecture and further enhanced Hall elements. The new HAL 2455 is particularly suitable for use in vehicles: here, it can be employed for example for gearshift mechanisms or for position detection in ride-height applications. Other typical applications include angular measurements up to 180°, any type of position detection and the wear-free replacement of conventional potentiometers.

Like its predecessor the HAL 2425, the HAL 2455 is capable of linearizing the output signal using 16 set-points with 12 bit accuracy since the distance information gained is in principle subject to certain deviations. For the storage of the needed calibration parameters, the sensor is equipped with a high temperature-resistant EEPROM, which operates reliably over the complete junction-temperature range from –40 °C to 170 °C. With the additionally offered SMD package version, the application can be perfectly adjusted to all mechanical positioning requirements and cost-saving production processes.

“By this step, we further extend the HAL 24xy family to further strengthen our market position as clear market leader in linear Hall sensors. In close cooperation with our customers we are continuously improving our products and our offering of attractive and cost-effective application solutions”, says Dirk Behrens, Vice President Automotive at Micronas. “The HAL 24xy family offers our customers numerous advantages compared to all previously available solutions”.

The use of a flexible output compensation leads to a significantly higher linearity of the output signal and enables not only improved accuracy, but also contributes to the reduction of overall system costs. The possible use of smaller magnets enables further cost reduction and saving of space. Due to their high sensitivity and their minimum offset drift over the entire temperature range, the HAL 24xy family ensures highest stability of all critical parameters in various customer applications. In the automobile this means safe operation of the sensors throughout the whole vehicle life cycle.

All derivatives have an extended feature set for detecting and identifying potential sources of errors. The broad range of diagnostic functions includes detection and signaling of wiring problems, locating short circuits at the output stage and in addition provides various internal self-tests of the complete sensor signal path and the memory environment. All errors are indicated by a halved PWM frequency and thus are decodable via dedicated duty cycles. All members of the HAL 24xy family meet the high EMC requirements of the automotive industry and offer a very high ESD protection. With 8 kV (HBM) they significantly outperform most sensor solutions currently available on the market.

All sensors can be programmed directly via the bidirectional output pin by varying the output voltage without the need for a separate programming pin.

Samples of the HAL 2455 with PWM output will be available in the first quarter of 2014. Production start for the SOIC8 package is scheduled for the second quarter of 2014.

About sensor solutions from Micronas
Micronas today offers the world’s broadest range of Hall-effect sensors and pioneered Hall sensors in CMOS technology. The company was the first to market CMOS Hall sensors. This technology allows the integration of the Hall-effect sensing element with standard electronics devices such as amplifiers, logic circuits, and volatile or non-volatile memories.

Micronas’ expertise in Hall sensors combines perfectly with its CMOS and mixed-signal design resources to create accurate, intelligent sensors for a broad range of applications. The ever-increasing demand for energy-efficient and highly reliable machines means that demand for these smart sensors will continue to grow.