High-Temperature Hall-Effect Switch
for Low Voltage Applications
APS11205
9
Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
115 Northeast Cutoff
Worcester, Massachusetts 01615-0036 U.S.A.
1.508.853.5000; www.allegromicro.com
Amp
Clock/Logic
Hall Element
Sample and
Hold
Low-Pass
Filter
A limiting factor for switchpoint accuracy when using Hall-effect
technology is the small-signal voltage developed across the Hall
plate. This voltage is proportionally small relative to the offset
that can be produced at the output of the Hall sensor. This makes
it difficult to process the signal and maintain an accurate, reliable
output over the specified temperature and voltage range. Chopper
stabilization is a proven approach used to minimize Hall offset.
The Allegro technique, dynamic quadrature offset cancellation,
removes key sources of the output drift induced by temperature
and package stress. This offset reduction technique is based on
a signal modulation-demodulation process. Figure 4: Model of
Chopper Stabilization Circuit (Dynamic Offset Cancellation)
illustrates how it is implemented.
The undesired offset signal is separated from the magnetically
induced signal in the frequency domain through modulation.
The subsequent demodulation acts as a modulation process for
the offset causing the magnetically induced signal to recover its
original spectrum at baseband while the DC offset becomes a
high-frequency signal. Then, using a low-pass filter, the signal
passes while the modulated DC offset is suppressed. Allegro’s
innovative chopper stabilization technique uses a high-frequency
clock. The high-frequency operation allows a greater sampling
rate that produces higher accuracy, reduced jitter, and faster sig-
nal processing. Additionally, filtering is more effective and results
in a lower noise analog signal at the sensor output. Devices such
as the A11205 that use this approach have an extremely stable
quiescent Hall output voltage, are immune to thermal stress,
and have precise recoverability after temperature cycling. This
technique is made possible through the use of a BiCMOS process
which allows the use of low-offset and low-noise amplifiers in
combination with high-density logic and sample-and-hold circuits
Figure 4: Model of Chopper Stabilization Circuit
(Dynamic Offset Cancellation)
CHOPPER STABILIZATION