HAL 1800: Programmable Linear Hall-Effect Sensor

The HAL 18xy is a new member of the Micronas family of programmable linear Hall sensors.

The HAL 18xy is an universal magnetic field sensor with a linear output based on the Hall effect. The IC is designed and produced in sub-micron CMOS technology and can be used for angle or distance measurements if combined with a rotating or moving magnet. The major characteristics like magnetic field range, sensitivity, shift (duty cycle of the PWM output signal or the serial output word at zero magnetic field), PWM period, low and high current, and the temperature coefficients are programmable in a non-volatile memory. The HAL 18xy features a customer data register that enables the customer to store own production information (like production number) inside each sensor.

The HAL18xy is programmable by modulating the supply voltage or through the sensor output. No additional programming pin is needed. The easy programmability allows a 2-point calibration by adjusting the output signal directly to the input signal (like mechanical angle, distance, or current). Individual adjustment of each sensor during the customer’s manufacturing process is possible. With this calibration procedure, the tolerances of the sensor, the magnet, and the mechanical positioning can be compensated in the final assembly. This offers a low-cost alternative for all applications that presently need mechanical adjustment or laser trimming for calibrating the system.

The sensors were designed to be used in automotive or industrial applications. They operate in a wide supply voltage range and with ambient temperatures from −40 °C up to 150 °C. The HAL 18xy is available in the very small leaded packages TO92UA-1 and TO92UA-2 and in the SMD package SOT89B-1.