AA and AB Series Analog Sensors
NVE Corporation 11409 Valley View Road, Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344 USA
(800) 467-7141 Web:
www.nve.com
Email:
info@nve.com
11/15/02
AA and AB Series Analog Sensors
NVE's AA and AB Series analog GMR sensors offer unique and unparalleled magnetic
sensing capabilities. These sensors are characterized by high sensitivity to applied
magnetic fields, excellent temperature stability, low power consumption, and small size.
These characteristics make them suitable for use in a wide variety of applications, from
rugged industrial and automotive position, speed, and current sensors, to low voltage,
battery-powered sensors for use in hand-held instrumentation and implantable medical
devices. The unmatched versatility of these basic magnetic sensors makes them an
excellent choice for a wide range of analog sensing applications.
The AA series sensors use NVE's patented GMR materials and on-chip flux
concentrators to provide a directionally sensitive output signal. These sensors are
sensitive in one direction in the plane of the IC, with a cosine-scaled falloff in sensitivity
as the sensor is rotated away from the sensitive direction. Also, these devices provide the
same output for magnetic fields in the positive or negative direction along the axis of
sensitivity (omnipolar output). All sensors are designed in a Wheatstone bridge
configuration to provide temperature compensation. Two packages are offered, an
SOIC8 and an MSOP8. These sensors are also available in die form on a special order
basis.
Three families of NVE's basic AA series sensors are offered: the standard AA series, the
AAH series, and the AAL series. Each of these sensor families uses a different GMR
material, with its own characteristics. The comparison table below summarizes the
different characteristics of the GMR materials:
AA Series
AAH Series
AAL Series
Sensitivity to Applied Fields
High
Very High
High
Field Range of Operation
High
Low
Medium
Hysteresis
Medium
High
Low
Temperature Range
High
Very High
Very High
The AB series sensors are differential sensor devices, or gradiometers, which take
advantage of the high output characteristics of NVE's GMR materials. Two families of
AB sensors are offered: the standard AB series, and the ABH series. They have
operational characteristics similar to the AA and AAH sensors described in the table
above, but with the bipolar linear output characteristics of a differential sensor.
Within these different sensor families, customers can find an excellent match to their
analog sensor requirements.
AA and AB Series Analog Sensors
NVE Corporation 11409 Valley View Road, Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344 USA
(800) 467-7141 Web:
www.nve.com
Email:
info@nve.com
11/15/02
Quick Reference: AA and AB Series
For comparison and product selection purposes, the following table lists all available AA
and AB series analog sensors, with some of their key characteristics:
Magnetometers:
Part
Number
Linear
Range
(|Oe
1
|)
Sensitivity
(mV/V-Oe
1
)
Maximum
Non-
linearity
(% Uni.
2
)
Maximum
Hyster-
esis
(% Uni.
2
)
Maximum
Operating
Temp
(C)
Typical
Resis-
tance
(Ohms)
Package
Min
Max
Min
Max
AA002-02
1.5
10.5
3.0
4.2
2
4
125
5K
SOIC8
AA003-02
2.0
14
2
3.2
2
4
125
5K
SOIC8
AA004-00
5.0
35
0.9
1.3
2
4
125
5K
MSOP8
AA004-02
5.0
35
0.9
1.3
2
4
125
5K
SOIC8
AA005-02
10.0
70
0.45
0.65
2
4
125
5K
SOIC8
AA006-00
5.0
35
0.9
1.3
2
4
125
30K
MSOP8
AA006-02
5.0
35
0.9
1.3
2
4
125
30K
SOIC8
AAH002-02
0.6
3.0
7.5
13.0
4
15
150
2K
SOIC8
AAH004-00
1.5
7.5
3.2
4.8
4
15
150
2K
MSOP8
AAL002-02
1.5
10.5
3.0
4.2
2
2
150
5.5K
SOIC8
Gradiometers:
Part
Number
Linear
Range
(|Oe
1
|)
Resistor
Spacing
(mm)
Maximum
Non-
linearity
(% Uni.
2
)
Maximum
Hyster-
esis
(% Uni.
2
)
Maximum
Operating
Temp
(C)
Typical
Resis-
tance
(Ohms)
Package
Min
Max
AB001-02
20
200
0.5
2
4
125
2.5K
SOIC8
AB001-00
20
200
0.5
2
4
125
2.5K
MSOP8
ABH001-02
5
40
0.5
4
15
150
1.2K
SOIC8
ABH001-00
5
40
0.5
4
15
150
1.2K
MSOP8
Notes:
1.
1 Oersted (Oe) = 1 Gauss in air.
2.
Unipolar operation means exposure to magnetic fields of one polarity, for example 0 to +30
Gauss, or 2 to 50 Gauss. Bipolar operation (for example 5 to + 10 Gauss) will increase
nonlinearity and hysteresis.
AA Sensors
NVE Corporation 11409 Valley View Road, Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344 USA
(800) 467-7141 Web:
www.nve.com
Email:
info@nve.com
11/15/02
AA Sensors
Features:
Excellent Sensitivity to Applied Magnetic Fields
Wheatstone Bridge Analog Output
Operating Temperature to 125C Continuous
Wide Linear Range of Operation
Near-Zero Voltage Operation
DC to >1MHz Frequency Response
Small, Low Profile Surface Mount Packages
Applications:
General Motion, Speed, and Position Sensing
Low Power, Low Voltage Applications
Low Field Sensing for Magnetic Media Detection
Current Sensing
Description:
The basic AA series GMR sensors are general purpose magnetometers for use in a wide
variety of applications. They exhibit excellent linearity, a large output signal with
applied magnetic fields, stable and linear temperature characteristics, and a purely
ratiometric output.
Magnetic Characteristics:
Part
Number
Saturation
Field (Oe
1
)
Linear
Range
(|Oe
1
|)
Sensitivity
(mV/V-Oe
1
)
Resistance
(Ohms)
Package
2
Die Size
3
(
m)
Min
Max
Min
Max
AA002-02
15
1.5
10.5
3.0
4.2
5K 20%
SOIC8
436x3370
AA003-02
20
2.0
14
2
3.2
5K 20%
SOIC8
436x3370
AA004-00
50
5
35
0.9
1.3
5K 20%
MSOP8
411x1458
AA004-02
50
5
35
0.9
1.3
5K 20%
SOIC8
411x1458
AA005-02
100
10
70
0.45
0.65
5K 20%
SOIC8
411x1458
AA006-00
50
5
35
0.9
1.3
30K 20%
MSOP8
836x1986
AA006-02
50
5
35
0.9
1.3
30K 20%
SOIC8
836x1986
GMR
pin 5, OUT+
Functional Block Diagram
shield
shield
pin 1, OUT-
pin 4, V-
(ground)
pin 8,
V+(supply)
Orientation
chamfer
OUT -
V- (ground)
OUT+
V+ (supply)
Pin-out
NVE
AAxxx
-02
Axis of Sensitivity
AA Sensors
NVE Corporation 11409 Valley View Road, Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344 USA
(800) 467-7141 Web:
www.nve.com
Email:
info@nve.com
11/15/02
General Characteristics:
Property
Min
Typical
Max
Unit
Input Voltage Range
<1
4
25
4
Volts
Operating Frequency
DC
> 1
MHz
Operating Temperature Range
-50
125
C
Bridge Electrical Offset
-4
+4
mV/V
Signal Output at Max. Field
60
mV/V
Nonlinearity
2
% (unipolar)
5
Hysteresis
4
% (unipolar)
5
TCR
+0.14
% /
C
6
TCOI
+0.03
% /
C
6
TCOV
-0.1
% /
C
6
Off Axis Characteristic
Cos
7
ESD Tolerance
400
V pin to pin HBM
Notes:
1.
1 Oersted (Oe) = 1 Gauss in air.
2.
See the Appendix for package dimensions and tolerances.
3.
Sensors can be provided in die form by special request.
4.
GMR AA Series sensors are pure ratiometric devices, meaning that they will operate properly at
extremely low supply voltages. The output signal will be proportional to the supply voltage.
Maximum voltage range is limited by the power dissipation in the package and the maximum
operating temperature of the sensor.
5.
Unipolar operation means exposure to magnetic fields of one polarity, e.g., 0 to 30 Gauss, or -2
to -50 Gauss, but not -20 to +30 Gauss (bipolar operation). Bipolar operation will increase
nonlinearity and hysteresis.
6.
TCR is resistance change with temperature with no applied field. TCOI is the output change with
temperature using a constant current source to power the sensor. TCOV is the output change with
temperature using a constant voltage source to power the sensor. See the graphs below.
7.
Beta (
) is any angle from the sensitive axis.
Constant Voltage Supply
-0.4
-0.2
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
-80
-60
-40
-20
0
20
40
60
80
100
Applied Field (Oe)
Normalized Output (V
)
-50C
0C
+50C
+100C
Constant Current Supply
-0.4
-0.2
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
-80
-60
-40
-20
0
20
40
60
80
100
Applied Field (Oe)
Normalized Output (V
)
-50C
0C
+50C
+100C
AAH Sensors
NVE Corporation 11409 Valley View Road, Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344 USA
(800) 467-7141 Web:
www.nve.com
Email:
info@nve.com
11/15/02
AAH Sensors
Features:
Extremely High Sensitivity to Applied Magnetic Fields
Wheatstone Bridge Analog Output
Temperature Tolerance to 150C Continuous
Near-Zero Voltage Operation
DC to >1MHz Frequency Response
Small, Low Profile Surface Mount Packages
Applications:
Low Voltage, High Temperature Applications
Low Field Sensing for Magnetic Media Detection
Earth's Magnetic Field Detection
Current Sensing
Description:
The AAH series GMR sensors are manufactured with a high sensitivity GMR material,
making them ideally suited for any low magnetic field application. They are also
extremely temperature tolerant, to +150C operating temperatures.
Magnetic Characteristics:
Part
Number
Saturation
Field (Oe
1
)
Linear
Range
(|Oe
1
|)
Sensitivity
(mV/V-Oe
1
)
Resistance
(Ohms)
Package
2
Die Size
3
(
m)
Min
Max
Min
Max
AAH002-02
6
0.25
3.0
11.0
18.0
2K 20%
SOIC8
436x3370
AAH004-00
15
0.5
7.5
3.2
4.8
2K 20%
MSOP
411x1458
Orientation
chamfer
OUT -
V- (ground)
OUT+
V+ (supply)
Pin-out
NVE
AAxxx
-02
Axis of Sensitivity
GMR
pin 5, OUT+
Functional Block Diagram
shield
shield
pin 1, OUT-
pin 4, V-
(ground)
pin 8,
V+(supply)
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