Allegro MicroSystems introduces high bandwidth current sensor technology

Allegro MicroSystems announced the introduction of new high-bandwidth current sensors, the ACS37030 and ACS37032, that enable higher performance power conversion using GaN and SiC technologies in electric vehicles, clean energy solutions and data center applications.

The current high power density GaN and SiC FETs charging and power supply infrastructure requires high speed, low loss devices to ensure efficiency and reliability. Existing current sensing solutions have a limited operating range and require additional components and a larger bill of materials (BOM) in the design, increasing the size and weight of the application.

To address these challenges, Allegro introduced two high-bandwidth current sensor products, the ACS37030 and ACS37032, that are optimized to deliver high efficiency and high performance while reducing design time and board footprint. They use a dual-signal path approach, where one path captures low-frequency DC current using a Hall effect component and the other captures high-frequency current data through an inductor.

Matt Hein, product line manager for current sensors at Allegro, said, "Our ACS37030/2 is a first in the market, providing both a fast enough response for high-speed SiC and GaN protection and a good low-frequency output for power conversion control. Now designers can make better use of GaN and SiC architectures and reduce system footprint."

Allegro's latest current sensors offer a more compact design, higher efficiency and lower cost for high frequency switches in power systems and offer designers the following advantages:

● Efficiently and quickly manage thermal conditions with high switching frequencies and high voltages and currents: provide fast response times, provide critical protection and improve efficiency by reducing energy loss and consumption.

● Enables stable and safe control and reduced electromagnetic interference: the temperature sensitivity error is only 2%, and the inductor characteristic curve increases the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with increasing frequency, thus reducing noise and simplifying electromagnetic compatibility.

● Reduce design footprint for system reliability and protection: The compact and efficient fuse lead SOIC-6 package withstands harsh automotive and industrial environments for high reliability and protection.

● Balance cost considerations and reduce design complexity: Simplify design and facilitate easy-to-design, cost-optimized, high-power, high-frequency switching power conversions for GaN and SiC devices