iC-MH16
12-BIT ANGULAR HALL ENCODER
Rev A1, Page 11/25
SENSOR PRINCIPLE
In conjunction with a rotating permanent magnet, the
iC-MH16 module can be used to create a complete en-
coder system. A diametrically magnetized, cylindrical
permanent magnet made of neodymium iron boron (Nd-
FeB) or samarium cobalt (SmCo) generates optimum
sensor signals. The diameter of the magnet should be
in the range of 3 to 6 mm.
The iC-MH16 has four Hall sensors adapted for angle
determination and to convert the magnetic field into
a measurable Hall voltage. Only the z-component of
the magnetic field is evaluated, whereby the field lines
pass through two opposing Hall sensors in the opposite
direction. Figure 3 shows an example of field vectors.
The arrangement of the Hall sensors is selected so
that the mounting of the magnets relative to iC-MH16 is
extremely tolerant. Two Hall sensors combined provide
a differential Hall signal. When the magnet is rotated
around the longitudinal axis, sine and cosine output
voltages are produced which can be used to determine
angles.
z
y
+Bz
B
x
-Bz
C151107-1
Figure 3: Sensor principle
POSITION OF THE HALL SENSORS AND THE ANALOG SENSOR SIGNAL
The Hall sensors are placed in the center of the QFN28 In order to calculate the angle position of a diametrically
package at 90 ° to one another and arranged in a circle polarized magnet placed above the device a difference
with a diameter of 2 mm as shown in Figure 4.
in signal is formed between opposite pairs of Hall sen-
sors, resulting in the sine being VSIN = VPSIN - VNSIN
and the cosine VCOS = VPCOS - VNCOS. The zero angle
position of the magnet is marked by the resulting cosine
voltage value being at a maximum and the sine voltage
value at zero.
Pin 1 Mark
28 27 26 25 24 23 22
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
1
2
PSIN
PCOS
3
4
5
6
7
This is the case when the south pole of the magnet is
exactly above the PCOS sensor and the north pole is
above sensor NCOS, as shown in Figure 5. Sensors
PSIN and NSIN are placed along the pole boundary so
that neither generate a Hall signal.
NCOS
NSIN
(top view)
8
9
10 11 12 13 14
C040907-2
Figure 4: Position of the Hall sensors
When a magnetic south pole comes close to the sur-
face of the package the resulting magnetic field has a When the magnet is rotated counterclockwise the poles
positive component in the +z direction (i.e. from the top then also cover the PSIN and NSIN sensors, resulting
of the package) and the individual Hall sensors each in the sine and cosine signals shown in Figure 6 being
generate their own positive signal voltage.
produced.
ICHAUS [ IC-HAUS GMBH ]
