STMicroelectronics introduce low power precision temperature sensor

November 21, 2006

STMicroelectronics announced a precision temperature sensor with an ultra-low supply current requirement of less than 4.3-microamps (typical) and a tiny 4-lead UDFN package, making it ideal for 3G cell phones and other battery applications where low power, coupled with small size, accuracy and linearity over the full temperature range, are essential. The new STLM20 is the lowest-current drop-in replacement for industry-standard LM20 devices, and is the first in a new series of precision temperature sensors from ST.

The new device is an analog-output temperature sensor operating over a -55 to +130 degrees C temperature range. At 25 degrees C the precision sensor's temperature-to-voltage accuracy is plus or minus 1.5 degrees C, and it is plus/minus 2.5 degrees C over the entire operating temperature range. The STLM20 is supplied in a tiny 1.0mm x 1.3mm x 0.5mm thick 4-lead UDFN package - as well as in 5-lead SOT323 (SC70) - to meet the demands of space constrained products.

Operating from a supply voltage of 2.4V to 5V, the STLM20 draws a maximum of 8 microA over the full temperature range. It is targeted for the RF section of 3G mobile phones and multimedia PDAs, monitoring transmitter power amplifiers to guarantee linearity as required by the W-CDMA 3G standards. The STLM20 is also suitable for temperature compensated crystal oscillators and battery chargers and other portable applications, such as GPS devices and medical instruments.