Switch IC suits harsh industrial environments

The sensitive IC is also said to be ideal for harsh industrial environments.

The A1230 is a highly sensitive, temperature-stable magnetic sensing device incorporating two Hall-effect sensing elements spaced 1mm apart, each providing a separate digital output for speed and direction signal processing.

The digital outputs are out of phase so that the outputs are in quadrature when interfaced with the proper ring-magnet design, allowing easy processing of the speed and direction signals.

The two Hall elements are photolithographically aligned to better than 1um.

Low-drift amplifiers guarantee symmetry between the switches to maintain signal quadrature.

The Allegro high-frequency chopper-stabilisation technique cancels offsets in each channel, providing stable operation over the full specified temperature and voltage ranges.

The high-frequency chopping circuits allow an increased analogue signal-to-noise ratio at the input of the digital comparators within the IC.

As a result, the A1230 is claimed to achieve industry-leading output jitter performance that is critical in high-performance motor communication applications.

An on-chip low drop-out regulator allows the A1230 to be used over a wide operating voltage range.

Post-assembly factory programming at Allegro provides sensitive switchpoints that are symmetrical between the two switches.

The Al230 features integrated electrostatic discharge protection between outputs and supply voltage to ground, a robust structure for EMC protection, and reverse battery protection on supply and both output pins.

The A1230 is available in a plastic eight-pin SOIC surface-mount package (L) and a plastic four-pin SIP (K).

Both are available in a temperature range of -40C to +150C.

Each package is lead (Pb) free, with 100 per cent matt tin-plated leadframe.