TDK Corp. and LEM International SA have announced an agreement to develop tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR)-based current sensors for electrification in automotive, industrial and renewable energy sectors. TDK will develop custom TMR dies for LEM’s next-generation integrated current sensors.
(Source: TDK Corp.)
Integrated current sensors are a critical component used in electrification applications like onboard chargers (OBCs) in electric vehicles, TDK said. The collaboration will support the expansion of TDK’s TMR technology in automotive and industrial sectors, where LEM offers expertise, particularly in energy storage, motor drives and solar inverters.
The Yole Group expects the electrification and sensorization of cars will play a big role in driving the magnetic sensor market to $4.5 billion in 2027. Key technologies include Hall-effect as well as anisotropic MR (AMR) giant MR (GMR) and TMR thanks to their high accuracy, with TMR technology gaining ground in current and position sensing, according to the market research firm.
The key benefit of TMR technology is the super high sensitivity of its sensing layer, which allows manufacturers to reduce the size of the die and the ASIC, reported Yole, and the low footprint and power efficiency is suited for most position sensing and current sensing applications, where the contact sensing process needs high enough accuracy to compete with traditional shunt devices.
The current sensor market requires high volume and cost-effective products, LEM said. TDK was selected as a partner based on its best-in-class technology performance, including accuracy and noise, as well as reliable supply, automotive quality and process maturity, added the company.
The companies expect to develop a faster, more accurate current sensor with lower noise than existing solutions. “The combination of our TMR technology and LEM’s expertise in electrical measurement will generate outstanding new products for various market segments requiring electrification,” said Takao Tsutsui, CEO of TDK’s Sensor Systems Business Company, in a statement.
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