Micronas Develops single-chip, Dual-Plate Hall Sensor

Micronas announced this morning that it has successfully integrated two Hall plates, the specific sensor elements, on a single chip at about half the cost of existing solutions. The new sensors are designed for contactless detection of speed and rotary direction in automotive applications such as sliding roofs, windshield wipers, seat adjusters and power windows.

Previously, measuring speed and direction meant that systems manufacturers had to meticulously align two separate Hall sensor chips at precisely the required distance and position. Integrating two Hall-plates on one chip instead eliminates this error-prone alignment process, which significantly increases overall system reliability. The one-chip solution also eliminates the need for external logic circuitry and will cost about 50 percent less than two independent sensors.