TDK Corporation announces the portfolio expansion of its Micronas direct-angle Hall-effect sensor family with the HAR 3927. This product uses proprietary 3D HAL® pixel-cell technology and addresses the need for ISO 26262-compliant development. The new sensor comes with both a ratiometric analog output as well as a digital SENT interface according to SAE J2716 rev. 4.

The HAR 3927 offers a fully redundant sensor solution for safety-critical automotive applications, such as linear-movement measurements in dual-clutch transmissions, engine stroke sensors, rotary position measurements in gear selectors and accelerator pedals, and electronic throttle control.

TDK introduces 3D HAL technology-based position sensor with redundancy for safety-critical applications-SemiMedia

Each HAR 3927 sensor contains two stacked dies that operate independently. The dies have minimal displacement and are penetrated by the same field lines. The HAR 3927, compared to other solutions with two dies side by side, operates with significantly smaller magnets. Its magnetic field amplitude range is 20 mT to 130 mT, and down to 5 mT with reduced accuracy.

The sensor offers two different output formats and a linearization block for an output signal of up to 33 setpoints (17 variable or 33 fixed setpoints). Due to the proprietary 3D HAL pixel-cell technology, customers can measure magnetic-field components, enabling linear and rotary position measurements up to 360°, as well as on-and-off-axis measurements. Primary characteristics like gain and offset, reference position, etc. can be adjusted to the magnetic circuitry by programming the non-volatile memory.

Various configuration options of HAR 3927 increase customers’ flexibility during development and enable one sensor to be used in multiple applications, which reduces costs and effort for re-qualification.

The HAR 3927 is available in a miniature eight-pin SOIC8 package. The redundant single-package solution reduces system costs while increasing the reliability of the system due to smaller PCBs and less solder joints. 

Samples are already available. The start of production is planned for the first quarter of 2022.