New QFN package for the current sensor exhibits very low power loss and thermal effects.
An innovative new ultra-miniature package offering has been introduced for the family of current sensor ICs available from Allegro MicroSystems Europe. Allegro’s smallest current sensor linear IC, the ACS711, is now housed in a 0.75mm thick low-profile QFN package measuring only 3mm × 3mm. This new micro-sized device is possibly the smallest fully-integrated linear current sensor IC in the world, says the company.
With an internal resistance of only 0.6 milliohm, the new package exhibits very low power loss and thermal effects. With proper PCB design, it can be used for applications with over 30A continuous current while reducing power consumption by an order of magnitude over existing sense-resistor/op-amp solutions.
Factory programming provides for high accuracy in this IC, which also features an integrated fast-response fault output. Together these techniques deliver an exceptionally low current-sensing footprint available without compromising accuracy. The ACS711 is designed for low-side or high-side sensing at voltages up to 100VDC, and provides a ratiometric output voltage that is proportional to AC or DC current.
Applications include motor and pump control in consumer and industrial equipment, short-circuit and overpower detection in audio and lighting applications, and general power supply monitoring, says the company.
