Melexis — MLX90392 Three-Axis Magnetic Field Sensor

Melexis has introduced the MLX90392, a three-axis magnetic field sensor which can operate from a 1.8V power rail shared with other components such as logic devices. Low-noise performance and high accuracy make the sensor suitable for a wide range of applications in white goods, smart meters and other consumer devices.

Requiring no dedicated voltage regulator, the competitively priced MLX90392 simplifies the design of sensor circuits, lowers bill-of-materials costs, and saves board space. The sensor is supplied in an 8-pin UTDFN package which measures just 2mm x 2.5mm x 0.4mm. A 1.5µA power-down mode helps to save energy and extend run-time in battery-powered applications.

Featuring an integrated thermal sensor and 1MHz I²C interface, the MLX90392 provides 16-bit magnetic field measurements in each of the x, y, and z axes. The device is available in two variants which give a choice of full-scale measurement range: either ±50mT or ±5mT.

The version offering ±50mT range is suitable for position measurement in human-machine interfaces, for door-closure detection in white goods and access-control systems, or for the anti-tamper function in smart meters. This sensor is also useful in contactless joysticks, in which it saves the power dissipated by traditional potentiometers.

For position sensing which requires a small magnetic range, and for precise position measurement and low noise, the ±5mT variant offers sensitivity of 0.15µT/LSB and noise as low as 0.3µT_rms.

Both devices support single- and continuous-measurement modes for design flexibility, while comprehensive diagnostic outputs include self-test status, data-ready, and magnetic sensor-overflow indications.