New proximity sensor offers low power consumption in compact SMD package

The Optoelectronics group of Vishay Intertechnology has introduced a new fully integrated proximity sensor to improve efficiency and performance in consumer and industrial applications. Offering a VCSEL, the Vishay Semiconductors VCNL36825T consolidates a photodiode, signal processing IC, and 12-bit ADC in a compact 2mm x 1.25mm x 0.5mm surface-mount package with a small 1.6mm light hole.

As compared to previous-generation devices, this new proximity sensor provides a 76% smaller package, while its decreased light hole opening offers increased design flexibility — all at a lower cost. The device's small size makes it excellent for space-constrained battery-powered applications, such as detecting if users are wearing or not wearing true wireless stereo (TWS) earphones or VR/AR headsets. With a range of 200mm, it also offers collision detection in toys, consumer and industrial robots. The proximity sensor provides low power consumption down to 6.63μA to increase efficiency in these applications.

The device supports the I²C bus communication interface for easy access to the proximity signal. Its programmable interrupt function enables designers to define high and low thresholds to decrease the continuous communication with the microcontroller. The proximity sensor employs intelligent cancellation to remove cross-talk, while a smart persistence scheme assures accurate sensing and faster response time. The VCSEL wavelength peaks at 940nm and has no visible 'red-tail'.

The device provides superior temperature compensation from -40C to +85C and an MSL of 3 — in accordance with J-STD-020 — for a floor life of 168 hours. The sensor is RoHS-compliant, halogen-free, and Vishay Green.