Diodes Incorporated Releases New Series of Hall

Diodes Incorporated announces the AH356xQ series of AEC-Q100 Grade 0 qualified omnipolar Hall-effect switches.

Diode Incorporated’s AH356xQ newest line of automotive-tough Omnipolar Hall Sensors are qualified under the Automotive Electronics Council’s AEC-Q100 Grade 0 standard. This mandates their full functionality over a wide –40°C to 150°C temperature range.

Typically, these devices are used for position and proximity sensing, open and close detection, level detection and flow metering.

Further specifications of the devices are detailed in the AH356xQ press release, including:

There are three members of the AH356xQ series:

The main differences between the series members are their minimum, typical, and maximum magnetic operating points and their minimum, typical, and maximum magnetic release points. See the AH356xQ family product page for complete specifications.

According to Simon Ramsdale, Diodes Incorporated’s worldwide automotive IC marketing manager, the switches "are well-suited for automotive proximity and level-detection applications... Thanks to their Grade 0 qualification, these switches offer a great combination of performance and robustness.”

The Hall effect comes into play when a magnetic field is applied perpendicular to a flow of electricity. The result is a charge separation, with a measurable “Hall voltage” generated as shown below.

An omnipolar (bipolar) sensor might require proximity to the south pole of a magnet for turn-on, and proximity to the north pole of a magnet for turn off. A unipolar sensor might respond to the presence or absence of the south pole of a magnet for turn on and turn off.

Do you work on automotive applications? Share your thoughts on these components in the comments below.