X-FAB first pure-play foundry to provide ready-to-use Hall sensor

ERFURT, GERMANY: X-FAB Silicon Foundries, the leading analog/mixed-signal foundry and expert in “More than Moore” technologies, has become the first pure-play foundry to deliver integrated Hall effect functionality as a fully characterized, documented and ready-to-use Hall sensor device.

Implemented in X-FAB’s 0.18 micrometer high-voltage process technology (XH018), the new low-power, highly sensitive magnetic field sensor device is a perfect fit for battery-powered applications. It allows engineers to change the system architecture of the entire sensing application into a more cost-effective single-chip solution that requires no further layout work, additional chip testing, measurements or optimization.

X-FAB also is delivering a design kit add-on that provides everything designers need to successfully integrate this device with the rest of the circuitry on the chip. X-FAB will thoroughly discuss its Hall sensor offering in a free webinar, “Foundry Solution for Hall Sensor Applications – Integrated Magnetic Field Sensing Made Easy with Ready-to-Use Hall Device,” offered worldwide on December 8 and 9.

The new Hall sensor is suitable for contactless detection or measurement of magnetic fields, and for applications in which a magnetic field is used to indirectly measure distance, position, rotational angle, speed or an electric current.

For example, it can be used as a proximity sensor for handhelds, an automotive vehicle speed sensor, a replacement for mechanical switches, a brushless control for DC motors, a fluid level detector or a meter for smart grid applications.

The new sensor operates with a very small supply current and is fully characterized including offset, sensitivity and temperature dependency. Offered as an IP block, the ready-to-use Hall sensor primitive device is available now for customer tape-ins.

The design kit add-on includes a VerilogA model to enable simulations for X-FAB’s modular XH018 process. This process meets the rigorous automotive qualification standards and enables SoC design engineers to integrate Hall effect functionality along with offset compensation and precise signal conditioning, high-density logic, microprocessor cores, non-volatile memory, high-voltage analog devices and power drivers. Using the ready-to-use Hall sensor device leads to significant time and cost savings in the design process.

X-FAB’s new Hall sensor is available now. Silicon samples for evaluation purposes are available on request. The design kit can be downloaded from X-FAB’s online technical information center, X-TIC.