Vishay Intertechnology has announced the launch of two new automotive-grade proximity sensors, namely VCNL3030X01 and VCNL3036X01, with high resolution up to 20 µm for force sensing applications. These new low profile SMD packaged devices can prevent false triggers in automotive, consumer, and industrial applications. The sensors feature an IRED / LED pulse current of 200 mA, a supply voltage range of 2.5 V to 3.6 V, and an I²C bus voltage range from 1.8 V to 5.5 V.
Both the sensors are AEC-Q101 qualified and encompass a photodiode, amplifier, and ADC circuitry in a 4 mm x 2.36 mm surface-mount package with a low 0.75 mm profile. Compared to the previous-generation sensors, the newly introduced sensors provide higher resolution and are ideally suited to be used in automotive, consumer, smart home, industrial, office, and toy products.
The VCNL3030X01 sensor features an on-board infrared emitter (IRED) and the VCNL3036X01 sensor comes with an onboard driver with an internal logic and is designed to be used with up to three external IREDs. It also ensures to provide increased flexibility for product design. Besides preventing false triggers, these sensors offer flexibility to fine-tune the current for short displacements when used for force sensing applications in steering wheel controls, laptop smart power buttons and multi-force trackpads, and touchpads for IoT devices and kitchen appliances.
Both the sensors support the I²C bus communication interface and their programmable interrupt function enables designers to specify high and low thresholds, thereby reducing continuous communication with the microcontroller. These proximity sensors feature selectable 12-bit and 16-bit outputs, are RoHS-compliant, halogen-free, and Vishay Green. Making use of intelligent cancellation, the sensors eliminate cross-talk. Also, the smart persistence scheme ensures to provide accurate sensing and faster response time. The VCNL3030X01’s emitter wavelength peaks at 940 nm and has no visible “red-tail”. The samples and production quantities of the new proximity sensors are available with lead times of six to 12 weeks for large orders.
