Ultra-compact contactless current sensor offers minimum power loss

ROHM has released what is claimed to be industry’s smallest contactless current sensor, the BM14270MUV-LB. It provides minimum power loss in an ultra-compact size, making it excellent for consumer devices and industrial equipment that detect operating conditions via current, including solar power systems, battery-driven drones, and servers in data centres requiring high power. The device was developed by combining the company's semiconductor production and sensor control technologies with Aichi Steel’s MI (Magneto-Impedance) element. The end result is a contactless current sensor that removes the requirement to draw current within the sensor to measure it. The sensor itself uses very low current (0.07mA – 100x smaller than conventional products) and comes in at 3.5mm square. Also, a disturbance magnetic field cancellation function is incorporated to guard against noise, making shielding unnecessary. Digital output from the built-in A/D converter decreases MCU load, promoting current monitoring. These features enable users to efficiently detect the current of virtually any application with high reliability, from high power industrial equipment to compact battery-driven devices.