WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Diodes Inc., a leading manufacturer and supplier of high-quality discrete and analog semiconductors, announced the introduction of its Micro Power Omnipolar Hall-effect sensor switch product family, with the release of the AH180. The AH180's patent-pending Hall-sensor design fills the growing demand for lower power and higher sensitivity required in today's portable contactless switch applications.
Currently, three packages are offered for the AH180: SC59, SIP-3, and DFN-3. The sub-miniature DFN package stands at 2 by 2 by 0.6 mm, making the AH180 one of the smallest omnipolar switches in the market today. To meet application and specific customer requirements, Diodes' superior packaging capability allows for design and production of new DFN package options with fast turnaround. Such flexibility, together with the exceptional power-consumption performance, makes the AH180 a perfect fit for a wide range of end-user applications. Ideally suited for lid position sensing in mobile flip-phones, including the latest razor-thin multimedia 3G mobile handsets, this sensor is also optimized for use in portable media players, handheld gaming devices, ultra-mobile PCs, thin and light notebook PCs, industrial metering, and reed switch replacements, among others.
"The release of the new AH180 product family is another solid example of Diodes' customer driven approach to product innovation and is suitable for a broad array of high-growth, end-market applications," commented Mark King, senior vice president, sales and marketing, of Diodes Inc. "This platform offers significant benefits to OEMs and will enable us to expand our position in the latest generation of high-volume, portable electronic computing devices and mobile handsets."
The AH180 is the first in a new generation of low-voltage ultra-sensitive Hall-effect sensor switches developed using an advanced CMOS process. An innovative clocking scheme is used to minimize the ON duty cycle, thereby reducing power consumption and improving battery life. The AH180 sensor operates with either magnetic south pole or north pole, eliminating the need for orientating the magnet's polarity during manufacturing. Diodes' proprietary on-chip filters ensure that the presence (or absence) of magnetic fields is correctly interpreted, and the ON duty cycle is properly minimized. These filters protect the AH180 from various impairments, such as DC and RF noise, which are commonly present in electronic communications devices, such as mobile phones.
About Diodes Inc.
Diodes Inc. is a leading manufacturer and supplier of high-quality discrete and analog semiconductor products, primarily to the communications, computing, industrial, consumer electronics, and automotive markets. The company's corporate sales, marketing, engineering, and logistics headquarters is located in southern California, with two manufacturing facilities in Shanghai, China, a wafer-fabrication plant in Kansas City, MO, engineering, sales, warehouse, and logistics offices in Taipei, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, and sales and support offices throughout the world. Diodes Inc. recently acquired Anachip Corp., a fabless analog IC company in Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan.
Diodes Inc.'s product focus is on subminiature surface-mount discrete devices, analog power-management ICs, and Hall-effect sensors, all of which are widely used in end-user equipment, such as TV/satellite set-top boxes, portable DVD players, datacom devices, ADSL modems, power supplies, medical devices, wireless notebooks, flat-panel displays, digital cameras, mobile handsets, DC-to-DC conversion, Wireless 802.11 LAN access points, brushless DC motor fans, and automotive applications. For further information, including SEC filings, visit the company's Web site.