(iTers News) – Freescale Semiconductor unveiled a new generation of smaller form factor, power-thriftier, lower-cost, but noise-proof, higher-resolution 3-axis accelerometer.
Coming in a 2x2mm ultra small package, the MMA865x FC Xtrinsic MEMS accelerometer chip represents the latest technology breakthrough in its MEMS portfolio to keep up with strong market requirements for miniaturized, low-power consumption, and affordable MEMS chip solution.
“In the mobile phone space, there has been dramatic growth in (the shipments of) smartphones and tablet PCs. As part of that, it consumes more and more of sensor contents,” Wayne Chavez, operations director, sensor & actuator solution division with Freescale.
“Four years ago, very few phones only had one accelerometer. Today, they have accelerometers, magnetometers, gyros, and maybe even pressure sensors as well as ambient light sensors. The growth of sensors has been phenomenal in mobile handset spaces. As the growth happens, so does the pressure for cost reductions and pressure for miniaturization in size and form factors,” added he.
To satisfy that market demand for affordable MEMS solution, Freescale has reused existing and legacy technology solutions like transducers, a physical measurement that forms the very basic layer of MEMS system.
The chip maker also shrank the size of the new MEMS accelerometer chip by 56%, compared a mainstream 3x3mm chip that has a real estate of 9 square mm.
The MMA865xFC MEMS accelerometer has a smaller footprint of 4 square mm, is thick less than 1mm, and consumes just less than 7 micro amperes, but comes at no expense of performance.
For example, the MEMS accelerometers maintain an extreme low-noise of 150 micro g per root hertz as well as an advanced sensitivity of 1 mg per LSB.
To cut back on costs, according to Wayne Chavez, Freescale has reused some parts of legacy technology building blocks to the maximum, which form its predecessor 3x3mm lowest noise and lowest power MEMS solutions.
They include MEMS transducers and FIFO buffer memory, just to name two.
The MEMS transducer is a sort of physical measurement that provides outputs x, y, and z outputs.
The on-chip FIFO (first-in and first-out) memory buffer allows for smarter system power management, working in sync with the host processor to save power up to 96% depending on conditions of the microcontroller and output data rates chosen.
“The smart FIFO allows the system to be even smarter. This feature is not available in the market by anybody else. Only two others are producing 2x2mm solutions,” he emphasized
The re-use of existing circuit blocks also gives the chip faster time to market.
The MMA865xFC 3-axis accelerometers have two versions - MMA8652FC 12-bit and MMA8653FC 10-bit accelerometers, both of which are pin-compatible.
The chip is also compatible with Freescale’s Xtrinsic eCompass and calibration software with a full range of power and performance with floating point and integer code that supports Android®, Windows 8 and other operating systems.
Freescale is zeroing in on smartphone markets with this new MEMS chip solution, because smartphone vendors are still demanding thin, ultra-compact discrete MEMS solution.
“Many of smartphones are starting to go for an integrated solution. However, many customers like to have a 2x2mm form factor, because they are thin and small. They want a freedom to place it anywhere available on the board,” he added.
Tablet PCs are another target markets, because smartphone makers, most of whom produce tablet PCs , want to have the same components.
Remote controllers and digital camera markets are where Freescale is seeing high potentials rising on the horizon, because smaller form factors will be great benefits.
According to Wayne Chavez, Freescale’s core strengths in MEMS business lie in richer portfolio, high performance technology building blocks, and abilities for system integration. For example, Freescale can combine the 2x2mm 3 axis MEMS accelerometers with its 6 axis magnetometers on a board to offer a complete compass solution.
The Xtrinsic MMA8652FC 12-bit accelerometer and MMA8653FC 10-bit accelerometer are now available in sample quantities. Production is scheduled to start in Q4 2012. Resale price range from US$0.77 for the MMA8652FC accelerometer to US$0.66 for the MMA8653FC accelerometer in 10,000-piece quantities.
Video & Photo by JH Bae