Renesas enters Ambient Illuminance Sensor Market

The new device is designed to contribute to improved performance and reduced power consumption, for example by automatically adjusting display brightness for the best viewing experience. The PH5551A2NA1 device is a digital ambient illuminance sensor that detects the brightness of ambient light and sends a corresponding signal to a device such as a microcontroller (MCU). By using the PH5551A2NA1 device, system manufacturers can develop more compact and precise automatic brightness adjustment or automatic on/off circuits for digital household appliances and electronics, mobile terminals and handsets, factory automation (FA) equipment, and lighting fixtures for both indoor and outdoor use. Ambient illuminance sensors detect the brightness experienced by human beings and output a corresponding signal to an MCU. They are mainly used in digital devices equipped with displays to enable automatic brightness adjustment and automatic on/off control according to the level of ambient light and contribute to improved performance and reduced power consumption, for example by automatically adjusting display brightness for the best viewing experience. These sensors are employed in products that include digital household appliances and electronics, mobile terminals and handsets, factory automation equipment, and lighting fixtures, and the market for ambient illuminance sensors is expected to grow by about 20 percent annually from 2011 to 2013. In the past, light sensors employing cadmium sulfide have been widely used for such applications, but now demand for silicon semiconductor ambient illuminance sensors is growing due to their reduced environmental impact. Against this background, Renesas Electronics utilized its process technology, circuit technology, package technology, and manufacturing technology derived from its photo detector IC products for CD, DVD, and BD players to develop new products for the illuminance sensor market. The PH5551A2NA1 device contributes to improved performance, reduced power consumption, and greater compactness in brightness adjustment circuits for digital devices, mobile terminals and handsets, factory automation equipment, and lighting fixtures. Key features of the PH5551A2NA1 device: - Clear mold SON package among the smallest and thinnest in the industry - Reduction to ±20 percent of sensitivity variation due to different light sources - Enhanced flexibility when used in combination with an MCU