New Industry Products

Allegro MicroSystems Introduces MicroPower Hall-Effect Switch With Complementary Push-Pull Outputs

January 01, 2008 by Jeff Shepard

Allegro MicroSystems Inc. introduced a new Hall- effect switch with latched digital outputs and either unipolar or omnipolar actuation. It features operation at low supply currents and voltages, making it suitable for battery-operated electronics.

Key features such as lower minimum Vcc, a small, low-profile package, and push-pull complementary outputs, are all said to serve to satisfy present and future trends in battery operated consumer products. The new device is targeted at the consumer and industrial markets.

The low operating supply voltage (1.65 to 3.5V) and unique clocking algorithm assist in reducing the average operating power consumption. For example, the power requirements are less than 15 µW with a 2.75V supply. According to the company, unlike some traditional Hall- effect switches, the A1171 allows the user to configure how the device is magnetically actuated. Under default conditions the device will activate output switching with either a north or south polarity magnetic field of sufficient strength.

In the EW, 6-pin, microleaded package, the polarity specific actuation can be set by the user via an external selection pin to operate in a unipolar mode, switching only on a north or south polarity field. Lastly, the A1171 has two push-pull output structures, which source and sink current to eliminate the need for external pull-up resistors. This polarity-independence, as well as the minimal power requirements, is said to allow the A1171 to easily replace reed switches, and to provide superior reliability and ease of manufacturing while eliminating the requirement for signal conditioning.

The A1171 is currently available in the EW (2 x 1.5 x 0.4 mm DFN) package. The A1171 is priced at $0.38 in quantities of 1,000 and has a 10-12 week typical lead-time to market.