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Algorithms of Semiconductor Magnetic Field

Sensor Devices Power Consumption Minimization
Hotra Z., Holyaka R., Marusenkova T., Ilkanych V.
National University “Lviv Polytechnic”, Lviv, Ukraine, e-mail:holyaka@yahoo.com

Abstract – algorithms and structural solutions of power II. PROBLEM ANALYSIS

consumption minimization of galvanomagnetic sensor de-
vices of a magnetic field, particularly those based on Hall
sensors, are considered. The algorithms are based on sleep
and wake-up modes and implemented using a microcon-
verter ADuC834.
Keywords – energy-efficient device; magnetic field sensor;
signal transducer.
I. INTRODUCTION
Energy efficiency is one of key requirements to
modern portable electronics devices. In order to achieve
high energy efficiency one uses new structural scheme
solutions and an element base that provide minimal en-
ergy consumption and the possibility of functioning with
unipolar low-voltage power sources. The problem of en-
ergy efficiency in devices of digital technology can be
successfully solved using CMOS integrated circuits that
consume a very insignificant amount of energy, when
operating in a stationary mode [1]. In devices of analog
technology a new generation of BiCMOS integrated cir-
cuits meeting the requirements of Rail-to-Rail function-
ing allows development of low-voltage (typically from 3
to 5 V) micro-power signal transducers with an ex-
panded range of input and output voltages. This includes
a range of high-precision micropower Rail-to-Rail op-
erational amplifiers AD8551/2/4 [2].
The problem of energy efficiency becomes crucial in
distributed sensor networks – the latest line of development
of information environment. Such sensor networks consist
of self-contained electronic devices including those in-
tended for measuring temperature, humidity, magnetic and
electromagnetic fields, environmental pollution, etc. They
transmit the obtained measurement results to a centralized
information system in a similar manner that in up-to-date
cellular communication systems. In a number of tasks sen-
sor devices are embedded directly into mobile phones that
possess advanced functionality – smart phones. They in-
clude devices of GPS navigation, accelerometers etc. In
order to minimize energy consumption such devices are
provided with Sleep and Wake-up modes [3].
This work deals with the algorithms and the structural
solution for implementation of the said features of mini-
mizing energy consumption of the magnetic-field sensors
based on galvanomagnetic converters including Hall sen-
sors [4] and their variety – splitted Hall structures [5].
The main problem of minimizing energy consumed
by Hall sensors is the direct dependence of their sensi-
tivity on the feed current. The feed current of Hall sen-
sors is determined by their design and electrophysical
parameters including thickness and dopant concentration
of the active layer. The feed current of Hall sensors for
thin-film high-resistance structures (with resistance of
current and potential circuits nearly equal to 1 kOhm)
amounts to 1 mA, for sensors with optimized doping
level (resistance of about 100 Ohm) the feed current’s
value is 10 mA, and for high-stable bulk structures (re-
sistance of about 10 Ohm) it is 100 mA.
Naturally, for power consumption minimization the
first of the above-mentioned structures would be appro-
priate. However, high-resistance structures have disad-
vantages – significant temperature and temporal instabil-
ity. Moreover, there is a considerable off-set voltage in
such structures. Similar disadvantages are typical for
modern highly sensitive magnetic-field sensors based on
the effect of 2D electron gas. These problems signifi-
cantly restrict the use of high-resistance structures and
structures on the effect of 2D electron gas in devices in-
tended for magnetic-field measurement. Typically such
sensors are used as indicators of the threshold level of a
field in automatic equipment. Consequently, it is reason-
able to the use Hall sensors with optimized doping level
which are characterized by high temperature stability
and provide a fairly high metrological parameters. In
order to achieve the object set in this work, we proposed
a combination of two algorithms.
The first algorithm is based on reduction of the Hall
sensor’s feed current. Obviously, this would decrease
sensitivity and, consequently, deteriorate the signal-to-
noise ratio. In order to prevent this deterioration we have
developed a signal converter with high noise immunity.
The second algorithm is based on impulsive feeding
a Hall sensor with short-term active measurement mode
and pauses in a sleep mode between measurements. The
implementation of this algorithm assumes that a device
does not consume energy in pauses (duration of pauses
is controlled by a micropower timer).
III. BASIC SOLUTION
Upon the performed analysis of the element base of
the energy-efficient signal transducer of magnetic-field

ELNANO’ 2012, April 10-12, 2012, Kyiv, Ukraine

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sensors based on Hall sensors, which provides the said
algorithms of power consumption minimization, one can
conclude that the best solution is implementation of a
device on a microconverter ADuC834 produced by Ana-
log Devices Company (USA). This microconverter is
based on a high-precision 24-Bit  -  Analog-to-Digit
Converter (ADC) with embedded 62 kB Flash Micro-
Controller Unit (MCU).The unique node of ADuC834 is
a Programmable Gain Amplifier (PGA), which allows
amplifying weak signals with software-controlled gain. a b
Flowchart of the magnetic-field sensor device’s sig- Figure 1. Device flowchart (a) and photo of the device PCB (b)
nal transducer is shown in Fig.1, a and its photo – in
Fig.1, b. Along with a Hall sensor (HG), the sensor de-
vice’s current circuit contains a reference resistor RI.
Communication with PC is performed through a serial
UART bus based on USB controller FT232R. The Hall
sensor’s current circuit is controlled by two second paral-
lel port’s digital outputs P2.1 and P2.2. The Hall sensor’s
output signal comes to the PGA input (AIN1, AIN2) and
the voltage across the resistor RI serves as the reference
voltage VREF of an ADC. This design allows avoiding
the use of the Hall sensor’s feed current stabilizer and
provides a linear dependence between the reference volt-
age and the feed current. Minimization of the device’s Figure 2. Sygnal nonreproductivity vs current I and mode SF
power consumption is provided by the combination of
short-term impulses (during them magnetic field is meas-
IV. CONCLUSION
ured) and a sleep mode (a Hall sensor and most of the mi-
croconverter’s nodes are not fed in it). The control is per- Analysys of the problem of minimizing energy con-
formed by the microconverter’s wake-up timer. sumption of galvanomagnetic sensor devices of mag-
We’ve carried out an investigation into reproducibil- netic field based on Hall sensors is given. Algorithms
ity of measurements (in relative units SN, %) that corre- and structural solutions of energy consumption minimi-
spond to three values of the sensor’s feed current zation are proposed. The algorithms are based on reduc-
(I = 0.1 mA, I = 1 mA, I = 10 mA) and several typical tion of the feed current and on a pulse operation mode
values of AD conversion’s time. The results of the in- using sleep and wake-up mode. The device is imple-
vestigation are shown in Fig.2. A thin-film InSb Hall mented using a microconverter ADuC834. At the source
sensor of sensitivity S  20 V/(AT) was placed in a voltage 3 V the developed device’s energy consumption
magnetic field B = 0.13 T for investigation into repro- does not exceed 0.1 mW.
ducibility of measurements. The AD conversion’s dura-
tion is defined by a number that is written in the register V. REFERENCES
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ELNANO’ 2012, April 10-12, 2012, Kyiv, Ukraine