Avago Technologies Adds Miniature Surface Mount Ambient Light Photo Sensor for Use in Portable Electronic Devi

Avago Technologies Adds Miniature Surface Mount Ambient Light Photo Sensor for Use in Portable Electronic Devices

Low Cost Sensor Controls Display Backlighting in Mobile Phones, PDAs, and other Portable Devices to Help Extend Battery Life

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 30, 2008

Avago Technologies today announced a new low cost miniature surface mount ambient light photo sensor for controlling display backlighting in a wide range of portable electronic applications. Avago’s APDS-9008, which is designed to approximate the spectral response curve of the human eye, helps to significantly reduce power consumption to extend battery life in mobile phones, PDAs, notebook computers, TVs, video and digital still cameras. Avago is a leading supplier of analog interface components for communications, industrial and consumer applications.

The APDS-9008 is an analog-output ambient light photo sensor that comes in a lead-free miniature chipLED surface mount package. This new sensor from Avago offers a wide voltage range from as low as 1.6 volts up to a maximum of 5.5 volts and incorporates a spectrally suited photo sensor, which provides excellent responsivity. It targets designers of applications that require the measurement of ambient light to control display backlighting power consumption. Moreover, applications such as mobile phones and PDAs that draw heavy current for backlit LCD displays will benefit from incorporating this surface mount ambient light sensor into their designs.

The APDS-9008 is a pin-to-pin compatible alternative to Avago’s APDS-9005 and provides designers with a miniature low-cost ambient light sensor that can work at a much lower Vcc of 1.6V.

Key Features

Superior responsivity

Miniature chipLED surface mount package: 0.55 mm (H) by 1.60 mm (W) by 1.50 mm (D)

Low sensitivity variation across a variety of light sources

Operating temperature: -40 to +85 degrees C

Vcc supply: from 1.6V up to 5.5V

Output linearity across a wide illumination range

High output saturation voltage

Pb-free and RoHS compliant

Pricing and Availability

Pricing for Avago’s APDS-9008 sensor starts at $0.60 in minimum quantities of 2,500. Samples and production quantities are available now through Avago’s direct sales channel and worldwide distribution partners.