ST Launches World's Smallest 3-Axis Gyro to Reduce Board Space by 40%

STMicroelectronics (ST) has further expanded its motion sensor portfolio and introduced the world's smallest high-performance 3-axis analog gyroscope.

L3G3250A Integration STMicroelectronics has produced robust, market-proven micro-machining technology used by nearly 1.54 billion motion sensors and the company's aggressive packaging reduction blueprint to meet next-generation applications (game consoles, virtual reality input devices, Motion control man-machine interface (MMI), GPS navigation system, home appliances, and robots require less space. The new sensor is a high-performance, three-axis analog output gyroscope with a package size of only 3.5x3x1mm, reducing the board space from the existing product's 17.6 mm3 to 10.5 mm3, a reduction of nearly 40%.

Because the resonant frequency is outside of the audio bandwidth, the L3G3250A is fully resistant to audio noise from speakers mounted near the sensor, as well as coupled mechanical vibrations transmitted through the printed circuit board, resulting in higher detection accuracy and reliability. In addition, its advanced design combined with three-axis integrated motion sensing structure can further improve the accuracy and reliability, ensuring that the sensor output has the highest stability in the industry in terms of time and temperature characteristics. The L3G3250A combines high detection resolution with excellent resistance to audio noise and mechanical vibration noise, making mobile user interfaces for smart consumer electronics such as mobile phones, tablet PCs, and game consoles more realistic.

The L3G3250A offers two user-selectable ranges – 625 or 2500 dps (deg/sec) – with detection resolutions of 2mV/dps and 0.5mV/dps, respectively. The high range allows the gyroscope to detect very fast gestures and movements. Other product features include embedded self-test function, wide voltage power supply (2.4V to 3.6V), embedded power-down shutdown and sleep mode to optimize battery-powered device power management, embedded low-pass filter and high-pass filter Reset function and excellent anti-collision function.

The product has a wide operating temperature range (-40°C to 85°C) and uses a 3.5x3x1mm3 LGA-16 ECOPACK? RoHS and "Green" standard package. Samples of the project are on the market and volume production is expected in the fourth quarter of 2011.