Fully molded package provided with a 0.76mm thick pressure sensor

November 19, 2014, Seoul – STMicroelectronics (ST), a global semiconductor company serving customers across a wide range of electronic applications and the world's leading manufacturer and supplier of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) for consumer, mobile[1], and automotive[2] applications, has launched the new MEMS pressure sensor LPS22HB to add to its environmental sensor portfolio. The LPS22HB, the world's smallest pressure sensor, has achieved a new milestone by combining high precision and robustness with an ultra-small size.

Pressure sensors are increasingly being used in smartphones and tablets, as well as in wearable technologies such as sports watches, smartwatches, and fitness bands. They enable accurate altitude detection and better location-based services, allowing for more accurate dead-reckoning calculations, which in turn enables the development of new smartphone apps for weather analysis, health, and sports monitoring. For this reason, market research firm IHS predicts that the global market size for pressure sensors for consumer electronics applications will reach nearly 1 billion units by 2018[3].

The LPS22HB is significant not only as the world's smallest pressure sensor but also as the only pressure sensor offered in a fully molded package. It offers superior thermal and mechanical robustness (high shock absorption of over 20,000g), improved performance, and an excellent trade-off between current consumption and noise. This is because it utilizes ST’s new MEMS technology, Bastille, which enables the use of a fully molded HLGA (Holed Land Grid Array) package, resulting in a minimum footprint of only 2x2mm and a thickness of less than 0.8mm. This technology has already been proven by ST’s 2.5x2.5mm pressure sensor, the LPS25HB, and due to its dustproof and waterproof design, it eliminates the need for metal or plastic caps, as well as the addition of mechanical grids for insulation.

Francesco Italia, General Manager of ST’s High-End Sensors and Analog business unit, said, “ST utilized its proprietary leading MEMS technology, expertise in advanced packaging, and ASIC design technology to develop the LPS22HB. This exceptional pressure sensor features a fully molded package and has a volume of only 3 mm³. Once again, by raising the standard of sensors, we have enabled our customers to provide even greater value to their clients.”

Key features of this new pressure sensor product include improved temperature compensation performance to enable the app to perform tasks without change even when the environment changes, an absolute pressure range of 260 to 1,260 mba that can cover all altitude changes from the deepest coal mine to the summit of Everest, low power consumption of less than 5 μA, and pressure noise of less than 1 Pa RMS.

LPS22HB is currently available for OEM sample purchase, and mass production is scheduled for the third quarter of 2015. The supply price is expected to be $1.40 per unit based on a quantity of 1,000.

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