ST intros new family of single- and two-axis MEMS gyroscopes

SINGAPORE: STMicroelectronics has introduced a new family of single- and multi-axis MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) gyroscopes.

Underpinned by the Company’s market-proven micromachining technology, which utilizes the unique mechanical properties of silicon by producing structures within the semiconductor chip to measure movement, ST’s gyroscopes deliver superior performance and reliability for angular-motion detection in human-machine interface applications, personal and car navigation systems, and image stabilization for digital still and video cameras.ST's Gyroscope portfolio.

Gyroscopes complement acceleration sensors in ever more popular man-machine interfaces, making gaming and remote-pointing more exciting, enhance car navigation applications for dead-reckoning and/or map-matching, and counteract digital video or still camera shaking for sharper shots.

ST’s complete family of single-axis (yaw) and two-axis (pitch-and-roll, pitch-and-yaw) MEMS gyroscopes offers the industry’s widest full-scale range, from 30 to 6,000 dps (degrees per second). The innovatively designed sensors can provide two separate outputs for each axis at the same time -– an unamplified output value for general detection of angular motion and a 4x amplification for high-resolution measurements that enhances design flexibility and the user experience.

ST’s new gyroscopes boast excellent stability over a wide temperature range and time, with variation typically lower than 0.05dps/°C for zero-rate level, eliminating the need for further temperature compensation in the application. Measurement precision is ensured with the negligible level of noise that affects the output signal (0.014dps/sqrt(Hz) at 30dps full-scale).

The high-performance MEMS gyroscopes are resistant to mechanical stress thanks to the robust process already successfully applied to the several hundred million ST accelerometers sold in the market and are able to operate with any supply voltage in the range of 2.7 to 3.6 V.

The 5x5 mm LGA package, together with the innovative design approach, ensures a high level of integration in space-constrained designs as well as better performance and soldering stability compared with bulkier ceramic packages.

Samples of the complete family of MEMS gyroscopes (yaw, pitch-and-roll, and pitch-and-yaw) with full scales ranging from 30dps to 6000dps are available now and mass production is expected to start in Q3 2009. Examples include LPR503AL, a two-axis pitch-and-roll gyroscope with 30dps and 120dps full scales, and LPY550AL, a two-axis pitch-and-yaw gyroscope with 500dps and 2,000dps full scales.

Unit pricing is $2.5 for quantities of tens of thousands pieces.