Freescale Introduces Xtrinsic Pressure Sensors for Automotive Engine Control and Green Vehicle Applications

Freescale’s latest MPXHZ9000 pressure sensors come with package porting and mounting options, offering significant advantages for the automotive engine control market as well as consumer and industrial applications. The MPXHZ9115A is a non-ported sensor for fuel-injected car engines, motorbike and scooter engines and comfort seating and lumbar applications. The MPXHZ9400AC and MPXHZ9250AC are ported versions with tube attachments for applications such as alternative fuel or hybrid/electric vehicles, liquid propane gas (LPG) or remote sensing.

The MPXHZ9000 family of pressure sensors has two new distinct features—factory programmable output clipping and loss of supply/ground output diagnostics. The MPXHZ9000 family can be ordered with factory programmed ratio-metric clipping levels. In addition, these sensors are designed to detect loss of supply or loss of ground conditions and to signal the host controller with output levels outside of the normal operating range.

“Our new MPXHZ9000 pressure sensors are pin-compatible with our MPX6000 family of sensors, providing our global customers with a trusted and enhanced solution for several automotive applications,” said Seyed Paransun, vice president and general manager of Freescale’s Sensor & Actuator Solutions Division. “These devices enable designs that contribute to more efficient engine controls for greater reliability, fuel efficiency and pollution reduction.”

The MPXHZ9000 pressure sensors use a five-volt power supply and can sense pressure ranging from 15 - 400 kPa. The sensors are available in a durable thermoplastic eight-lead surface mount package that uses the same pin-out as existing MPXHZ6000 family pressure sensors for easy pin-for-pin compatible design with no board layout change required. In addition to Freescale’s proven sensor technology, customers benefit from the two-die solution and no laser trimming resulting in less test time. Additional products with pressure ranges from 15 to 400 kPa are planned to be added to the portfolio in the next year.

A leading supplier of automotive semiconductors, Freescale has provided pressure sensors for more than 30 years and is dedicated to enabling designs that meet government regulations and consumer requirements for cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles while delivering best-in-class performance. Freescale’s sensors, analog products and 8-, 16- and 32-bit MCU families provide intelligence and connectivity for advanced automotive safety, body electronics, chassis, engine control, powertrain, driver information and telematics applications. Freescale has been supplying barometric airflow and manifold airflow pressure sensors to significantly reduce exhaust emissions and fuel consumption since 1982.

Pricing and availability

The MPXHZ9000 pressure sensors are sampling now, with full production planned for Q1 2013 at a suggested resale price starting at $3.50 (USD) in 10,000-piece quantities.