[Editor's Note] Digital technology has brought convenience and increased productivity to our lives. Digital technology has ushered in a world where everything that happens in the digital world is also happening in the real world. To achieve this, humanity needs more reliable and efficient semiconductor solutions, as well as power and sensor technologies that optimize system performance and measure and detect everything in the real world. In this field, Infineon is actively developing next-generation silicon, wide-bandgap power portfolios, and cutting-edge sensor products, leveraging its 40 years of expertise and deep system understanding. The company recently published a white paper covering its entire power and sensor portfolio to help developers find the solution that best suits their needs. Accordingly, this magazine has prepared a space to examine the application fields and application cases of power and sensor semiconductors based on Infineon 's 'Power and sensing Selection guide 2021' .

■sg+promo+page&utm_term=korea">Sensors, essential semiconductors that enable objects to sense their environment

'Sensors' are essential semiconductors that enable objects to see, hear, feel, and understand their environment, making life smarter.

Sensors enable people to build more intelligence, paving the way for new and compelling applications that offer more intuitive interactions and situational awareness.

Today, sensors are used for sensing in automotive, industrial, and consumer applications, and these sensors collaborate with other ecosystems to create new systems in robotics, autonomous driving, building automation, and more.

There are many types of sensors suitable for various industries, such as spanning magnetic sensors, current sensors, pressure sensors, acoustic sensors, 3D image sensors, and radar sensors. In order to transmit reliable and accurate information even under harsh environmental conditions such as automobiles, the system must have stability, durability, and integrity.

These sensors are increasingly influencing next-generation communications where objects understand people, and as the boundaries between humans and machines begin to disappear, advanced features and security capabilities powered by the latest sensor fusion innovations are becoming increasingly important.

■ Current sensor , must operate precisely and robustly />
Current sensors are used for analog interface and dual high-speed overcurrent detection. It measures current with high precision even in low-current applications and is used in high-voltage industrial applications such as electric drives, solar inverters, chargers, and power supplies.

In these applications, sensors must occupy a smaller space, minimize losses, and operate accurately and robustly over their entire lifespan.

In the case of coreless open-loop sensors, the output signal is very linear over temperature and life, the absence of a core means the sensor signal does not exhibit hysteresis, and saturation problems do not require external calibration thanks to the integrated current rail.

For differential measurements using two Hall cells, high accuracy is achieved even in noisy environments with interference from adjacent current lines or magnetic stray fields.



■mp;utm_term=korea">MEMS microphones give cars a sense of hearing

What if cars had ears? Infineon answered this question with the XENSIV™ IM67D130A .

This sensor addresses the need for a high-performance, low-noise MEMS microphone for automotive applications by combining the company's expertise in the automotive industry with its technological leadership in advanced MEMS microphones. The XENSIV™ IM67D130A is the industry's first microphone certified for automotive applications, helping to simplify design-in efforts and reduce the risk of certification failures.

The high operating temperature range of -40°C to +105°C allows for a wide range of use cases in harsh automotive environments, and the high Acoustic Overload Point (AOP) of 130dB SPL allows the microphone to capture distortion-free audio signals in noisy environments. It can be deployed inside or outside the vehicle, making it ideal for in-flight applications such as hands-free systems, emergency calls, in-flight communications, and active noise cancellation (ANC). It is also suitable for external applications such as sirens or road condition detection. These capabilities allow sound to be used as a complementary sensor for advanced driver assistance systems and predictive maintenance.



■ CO2 sensor , odor detection, contributing to human health

CO2 has a negative impact on health and productivity, causing drowsiness and headaches. CO2 sensors can detect odors and alert people or trigger system responses, contributing to improved energy efficiency, health, comfort, and productivity.

Furthermore, given the correlation between CO2 and aerosol concentrations, CO2 sensors could contribute to mitigating the transmission of not only COVID-19 but also other airborne diseases, such as the common cold and influenza. Additionally, CO2 sensors can improve energy efficiency and significantly reduce energy costs by promoting demand-controlled ventilation.

CO2 sensors are ideal for integration into consumer IoT devices such as air purifiers, thermostats, baby monitors, wake-up alarms, and smart speakers, as well as building automation applications.



■ Radar sensor and motion detection satisfy consumer and IoT applications.

Motion detection using radar sensors offers significant advantages over PIR and other motion detection technologies.

Many of them are used in motion detection triggering systems such as lighting solutions, automatic doors, cameras and security systems, or smart home devices.

In these applications, radar sensors can determine the direction of a moving object, its speed, distance, and even its position based on the antenna configuration, which requires smaller system size, higher accuracy, and more precise measurements of the detected object.

Additionally, radar used in motion detection applications offers greater accuracy than passive infrared (PIR) technology, allowing for more precise measurement of object detection and offering new capabilities such as detecting speed and direction of moving objects.