Allegro MicroSystems unveils its unique AxMR technology platform, which the company expects to strengthen its position in the magnetic sensor IC market. The commitment to develop this platform has been augmented with a substantial investment in high precision thin film deposition tools and equipment within an advanced BCD wafer manufacturing facility, where high-volume manufacturing is under way.
The AxMR platform integrates high sensitivity magnetoresistive (MR) sensor elements and high precision BiCMOS circuits on a single silicon integrated circuit. Through integration Allegro can combine our automotive grade, high voltage wafer processes with high accuracy, automotive grade MR sensors. The result is a family of high reliability, innovative, small form factor, monolithic ICs that easily fit into industry standard IC packages.
AGMR technology was designed to withstand rigorous automotive under-hood environments. It is thermally stable to greater than +150°C, even in the presence of large magnetic fields. Allegro's first generation AxMR ring-magnet Speed Sensor ICs are already in production at a Tier 1 automotive supplier of wheel speed sensors. These ICs rely on Allegro's patented signal processing algorithms to meet the needs of both standard and direction detection wheel speed sensor platforms. GMR technology enables low jitter rotational speed measurements that are not possible with Hall effect ICs.
Allegro is actively developing monolithic back-biased GMR sensors for advanced engine management and transmission gear speed sensing applications, where the same low jitter measurements and large air gap performance are essential for advanced powertrain system operation. Allegro also recently released its first GMR based current sensor IC, a device capable of resolving currents of less than 1 mA, and has plans to leverage MR technology to further disrupt the market for monolithic current sensor ICs. For more details, visit Allegro Microsystems.