Integrated IR emitter, IR detector, and optical filter
Sleep mode current consumption is only 0.7µA

ams (SIX: AMS), a leading worldwide supplier of high-performance sensor solutions, today announced the launch of a new 1.44mm-wide integrated color, ambient light, and proximity sensor module with the ultra-slim package footprint required by the latest narrow-bezel mobile phone designs. This enables handset manufacturers to better optimize automatic disabling of smartphone touchscreens during calls and the adjustment of screen brightness to ambient light conditions for more comfortable and energy-efficient smartphone use.

ams' new TMD3702VC 3-in-1 integrated module is supplied in a 1.44mm x 2.84mm x 0.65mm package. By using the new product in place of the previous generation, which had a wider footprint, smartphone manufacturers can design products with thinner bezels, increasing the display screen-to-body ratio while still maintaining important infrared proximity and light sensing capabilities.
The new module integrates an IR emitter, an IR detector, four color sensing channels, and optical filters. The proximity sensor's Class 1 Eye-Safe 940nm Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) emitter is more optically efficient than the LED emitters used in competing products, keeping the 1.8V TMD3702VC's average active-mode power consumption low. In sleep mode, current consumption is just 0.7µA.

The new translucent mold compound package used in the TMD3702VC provides a wide ±48° field of view. The proximity engine offers a wide dynamic range and ambient light subtraction, along with advanced optical crosstalk noise cancellation that dynamically eliminates both electrical and optical crosstalk, further enhancing the reliability of proximity detection performance.

The TMD3702VC can accurately measure the Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) of ambient light. The light and color sensing capabilities include four simultaneous ambient light sensing channels: red, green, blue, and clear, each with a UV/IR blocking filter.

Sensitivity, power consumption, and noise are optimized for adjustable timing and power. The new module accurately measures illuminance and calculates illuminance and color temperature values necessary for managing the performance of smartphone displays.

“The latest smartphone design trend is to maximize display screen size by increasing the screen-to-body ratio while minimizing the bezel area. This requires an extremely small module solution,” said Dave Moon, Senior Product Marketing Manager at ams. “The ultra-small form factor of the TMD3702VC addresses this need, helping to achieve a near-zero bezel around the display.”

“The TMD3702VC also provides a solution that is up to 60 percent smaller than previous-generation products, enabling handset designers to minimize the area allocated to front-end ambient light and proximity sensing,” he added.

The TMD3702VC is currently sampling and is priced at $1.15 per unit in quantities of 1,000.