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TDK Launches Amorphous Silicon Visible Light Sensors with Amplifiers

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TDK Launches Amorphous Silicon Visible Light Sensors with Amplifiers

New 1210 size is industry's smallest,^* output current is greatly increased

http://www.global.tdk.com/news_center/pressTDK Press Release

BCS1210A1 Series of Amorphous Silicon Visible Light Sensors with Amplifiers

April 9, 2007

TDK Corporation announces the launch of the BCS1210A1L and BCS1210A1H amorphous silicon visible light sensors with amplifiers. The size of the sensor (1.2mm × 1.0mm × 0.6mm) is the smallest in the industry.^*

Mobile devices and digital cameras are incorporating diverse functions even as miniaturization and extended operating times are becoming essential conditions. In response to these developments, functions that reduce battery power consumption by using the output of visible light sensors to adjust display brightness are becoming increasingly important. In addition, miniaturizing sensor elements and increasing their output has become an urgent issue for supporting the miniaturization and higher efficiency of devices. TDK's new sensors, developed to meet these market needs, are more compact, which contributes to space saving, and the sensor output current is substantially higher than earlier amorphous silicon visible light sensors, successfully improving on key sensor properties.

These visible light sensors, which use amorphous silicon in the light receiving area and are equipped with amplifiers, were developed jointly by TDK and Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.(President: Shunpei Yamazaki). The sensors have almost no sensitivity in the infrared region, but their optical sensitivity range is extremely close to that of human vision, meaning that they do not need the sensitivity correcting filters that single-crystal silicon optical sensors require. Amorphous silicon visible light sensors offer these advantages, but the output current per unit of sensor area is relatively low, making further miniaturization than the existing product size of 2.0 mm × 1.5 mm difficult.

The representative outputs of the two product types are 3 μA and 24 μA, vastly higher than the 0.1 μA of earlier products. The BCS1210A1L and BCS1210A1H achieve both miniaturization and higher output.

* As of April 2007, according to TDK investigations.

Main Characteristics

BCS1210A1L (internal amp, wide range; size: 1.2 mm × 1.0 mm × 0.6 mm)
Sensitivity wavelength range: 350 nm - 750 nm
Peak sensitivity wavelength: 580 nm ± 20 nm
Output current: 3 μA (typical)
Dark current: 4 nA (max.)

BCS1210A1H (internal amp, high sensitivity; size: 1.2 mm × 1.0 mm × 0.6 mm)
Sensitivity wavelength range: 350 nm - 750 nm
Peak sensitivity wavelength: 580 nm ± 20 nm
Output current: 24 μA (typical)
Dark current: 30 nA (max.)

Main Features

Industry's smallest sensor at 1.2 mm × 1.0 mm in size.
The optical sensitivity range is extremely close to that of human vision, making it possible to measure light intensity without sensitivity correcting filters and with little error.
The thermal coefficient is low compared to single-crystal silicon light sensors and in most cases no thermal compensation is needed.
RoHS compliant.
Can be mounted using lead-free solder.

Applications

Energy-saving and picture quality enhancement through automatic adjustment of the brightness of LCD and OLED displays used on mobile phones, One-Segment televisions, and digital cameras, turning backlight LEDs and electric appliances on and off, and controlling energy saving modes.

Production and Sales Plan

Sample price : 80 yen/unit
Production locations : Japan
Production capacity : 2 million units/month
Start of production : April 2007

Information on TDK Corporation and Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.

TDK Corporation

Head office:	1-13-1 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Established:	December 7, 1935
Capital:	32.641 billion yen
President:	Takehiro Kamigama
Business activities:	Manufacture of electronic materials and components and of recording media products

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.