SK keyfoundry, an 8-inch pure-play foundry in Korea, announced today that it offers a new 3D Hall-effect sensor technology that can measure speed and direction through three-dimensional magnetic field detection for its foundry customers.
The Hall-effect sensor is a device that measures the strength of a magnetic field using the Hall-effect, which detects the voltage difference generated when a conductor or semiconductor passes through a magnetic field. The measured magnetic field is utilized in applications that leverage the position, speed, rotation, direction, and current of devices.
SK keyfoundry has provided a variety of products using existing 1D (one-dimensional) and 2D (two-dimensional) Hall-effect sensors, and this new 3D Hall-effect sensor integrates both Vertical and Planar Hall-effect sensors on a single chip. It features enhanced sensitivity beyond that of existing 2D products, enabling real-time measurement of minute three-dimensional direction and speed changes with rapid response times.
Another important feature of the 3D Hall-effect sensor provided by SK keyfounrdry is that it can be designed to easily integrate into customer products by adding masks to existing processes. Additionally, the integration of the 3D Hall-effect sensor is offered across multiple nodes in the range of 0.13μm to 0.18μm while maintaining electrical characteristics.
The new 3D Hall-effect sensor is expected to be utilized in various fields. In particular, it can be applied in the automotive sector for safe driving assistance and autonomous driving systems, in consumer electronics for smart appliances and gaming consoles, and in industrial automation for robot control, drones, virtual reality, augmented reality, and wearable devices.
Derek D. Lee, the CEO of SK keyfoundry, stated, “The newly launched 3D Hall-effect sensor technology is expected to be utilized in the design of products across various industries, including home appliances, automotive, robotics, and drones, due to its high sensitivity and ability to detect minute three-dimensional movements.” He added, “We plan to support our customers in integrating more diverse functions into a single semiconductor through ongoing technology openness.”
