Tiny ac current sensors

Silicon Laboratories’ low-loss high-accuracy ac current sensors for power applications are reportedly the world’s smallest of its kind. The Si85000 integrates the functional equivalent of a current transformer circuit into a 4 x 4 x 1 mm QFN package, including the current transformer, blocking diode, burden resistor, and output RC filter.

By Staff October 1, 2007

Silicon Laboratories’ low-loss high-accuracy ac current sensors for power applications are reportedly the world’s smallest of its kind. The Si85000 integrates the functional equivalent of a current transformer circuit into a 4 x 4 x 1 mm QFN package, including the current transformer, blocking diode, burden resistor, and output RC filter. The family of sensors measures up to 20 amps of current for control and protection in power systems and is ideal for ac-dc switching power supplies, isolated dc-dc supplies, motor control, and electronic ballasts for lighting. The family integrates temperature and offset compensation circuitry to achieve measurement accuracy of +/-5% with a 2 Vpp full-scale output signal swing. It also offers a “ping-pong” output that enables on Si8510 to replace two current transformer circuits in full-bridge applications. www.silabs.com Silicon Laboratories Inc.