Seoul, May 30, 2012 — Infineon Technologies (Korea CEO Seung-soo Lee) announced that it has become a world-leading supplier of semiconductor-based magnetic and pressure sensors by shipping its 2 billionth sensor. Infineon is a global market leader in the sensor sector, holding a market share of approximately 50 percent, including pressure sensors used in side airbag systems and magnetic sensors used to measure wheel speed in ABS systems.

In 2011, approximately 75 million vehicles were produced worldwide, with 20 million of them produced in Europe. Currently, Infineon supplies about four of the 20 magnetic and pressure sensors commonly used in all new vehicles. This figure does not include sensors used for tire pressure monitoring. Infineon is one of the few semiconductor manufacturers that supplies all approximately 80 sensor applications used in vehicle safety systems, powertrains, as well as bodywork and convenience electronics. For example, Infineon's magnetic sensors are used in convenience features such as electronic power steering, gearbox control, and electronic windows. Additionally, Infineon's pressure sensors are already integrated into the latest side airbag standards, PSI5 and AK-LV 29, and are used in side airbags, engine management systems, and new applications such as pedestrian protection.

Infineon's range of magnetic and pressure sensor products is the most extensive on the market. In industrial applications, Infineon is focusing on sensors used in drives, smart meters, home appliances, and more.

Frank Findeis, Marketing Director for Integrated Sensors at Infineon Technologies, said, “One of our core areas of sensor innovation is integrating sensing elements and signal processing functions, which further enhances the reliability of Infineon’s sensors.” He added, “With our extensive experience and high quality standards, Infineon is establishing itself as a leading sensor partner for automotive and industrial electronics.”

Technology leader in the sensor field
Infineon is a technology leader in the sensor field. This applies to both wafer-level silicon technology, which is based on Infineon's broad technology portfolio, and the sensing element technology itself. In the case of magnetic sensors, magneto-resistive technologies, including giant magneto-resistive resistance (GMR), anisotropic magneto-resistance (AMR), and tunnelnelling magneto-resistance (TMR), are becoming increasingly important in addition to Hall effect technology. Infineon possesses all of these capabilities. In addition, Infineon's integrated GMR and AMR sensor solutions, which require the adjustment of ferromagnetic materials during the manufacturing process, offer excellent value for money due to their superior quality.

Frank Findeis said, “For example, securing the use of nickel-iron alloys in the integrated sensor manufacturing process can be considered a small technological revolution, virtually similar to the introduction of copper metallization in semiconductor manufacturing processes.” He added, “The fact that we have succeeded in this field with our own sensors demonstrates Infineon’s exceptional innovative energy.”

Additional information
Additional technical information on Infineon's sensors and other semiconductor solutions is available at the following links: www.infineon.com/sensors , www.infineon.com/automotive