Microchip’s Automotive Grade High-Side Current Sensor Launched

The new MCP6C02 and MCP6C04 high-side current sense amplifiers by Microchip Technology offer a low offset for the AEC-Q100 Grade 0 qualified devices, thus empowering more exact and energy-efficient current estimation for high-temperature automotive applications. This comes in response to the rapid multiplication of automation and connectivity.

These high-voltage current sense amplifiers have a wide input common mode range, hence giving the user, the necessary adaptability to address an assortment of voltage rails, including overhead for drifters.

“The addition of high-side current sense amplifiers to Microchip’s portfolio augments our total system solution for critical functions such as motor control, power supplies and battery management. Combined with our mixed signal solutions, microcontrollers, power management and communication offerings, Microchip enables our clients to move quickly from concept to production by utilizing a low-risk, proven supply partner.” said Bryan Liddiard, Vice President of Microchip Technology’s mixed signal linear business unit.

The MCP6C02 amplifier is offered in Grade-1 6-pin SOT-23 package and Grade-0 8-pin 3×3 VDFN package and has offset error tolerance of just 12 µV and low offset voltage. Also, the VDFN package has wettable flank plating, visual inspection of the solder joints and at the same time eliminating the requirement for X-Ray examining as is needed for the conventional DFN packages. Whereas the MCP6C04 comes in a 6-pin SOT-23 package and has very low offset error tolerance.

The zero-drift architecture of the MCP6C02 and MCP6C04 ICs ensures ultra-low offsets, thereby empowering users to utilize some smaller shunt resistors without compromising the resolution. In addition, it comes with an on-chip Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) channels that dampen the high-frequency interference and are ideal for unforgiving, electrically boisterous conditions. With a temperature range of - 40°C to +150°C, the offset error of the IC permits the utilization of a smaller valued shunt resistors while keeping a high resolution.

Features of MCP6C02:

1. Zero-drift architecture
2. Bidirectional or unidirectional operation
3. Maximum offset less than 16 µV
4. Maximum offset drift less than 85 nV/°C
5. Specified input common-mode range: 3V to 65V
6. Bandwidth of 500 kHz (typical)
7. Enhanced EMI rejection
8. Specified from -40 to +125°C (SOT-23 Package)
9. Specified from -40 to +150°C (VDFN Package)
10. Small 6-pin SOT-23
11. 8-pin 3x3 VDFN packaging

Features of MCP6C04:

1. Zero-drift architecture
2. Bidirectional or unidirectional operation
3. Maximum offset less than 30 µV
4. Maximum offset drift less than 180 nV/°C
5. Specified input common-mode range: 3V to 52V
6. Fixed gain options: 20, 50, 100 V/V
7. Bandwidth of 500 kHz (typical)
8. Enhanced EMI rejection
9. Specified from -40 to +125ºC
10. Small 6-pin SOT-23 package

The MCP6C0X series of high side current sensor is now in production and available at select disrtibutors.