(Photo: STMicroelectronics)

June 10, 2008 — STMicroelectronics, a global manufacturer of MEMS products, has introduced the LISY300AL, a miniature, surface-mountable single-axis yaw gyroscope for angular rate sensing up to 300 degrees per second (full scale). The 7 x 7 x 1.5mm MEMS sensor delivers extended power supply range from 2.7V to 3.6V, power-management capabilities, high stability, excellent shock resistance, and a selectable power-down mode. It also provides reduced standby power for applications such as game controllers, intuitive pointers, vehicle or personal navigation, and image stabilization.

Drawing on the company’s expertise in MEMS (late last year, STMicroelectronics introduced a new MEMS accelerometer for portable applications), and combined with highly robust MEMS technology, the LISY300AL exhibits stable sensitivity and bias-voltage throughout variations in temperature and over the device’s lifetime. This simplifies design and promotes reliable operation. Also featuring a co-integrated low-pass filter and dedicated IC interface, the LISY300AL enables a compact, low-noise solution using minimal external components. In addition, high survivability of shock and vibration allows use in demanding environments including industrial and automotive systems. An embedded self-test function provides extra assurance of accuracy and reliability.

In addition to consumer and industrial applications, including gaming and smart user interfaces for advanced pointing devices, the LISY300AL can be used for tilting and angular motion detection in robotics and assisted-GPS navigation systems.

The LISY300AL generates an absolute-rate output as an analog voltage. The 28-lead LGA device uses ST’s ECOPACK packaging, which meets ‘green’ criteria for RoHS compliance.

Samples of the LISY300AL are available immediately, with production volumes scheduled for introduction in Q3 2008.