Asahi Kasei sensor tech recognised as IEEE Milestone
Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) has announced that its commercialisation of thin-film Hall elements, initiated in 1983, has been recognised as an IEEE Milestone by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
The IEEE Milestone program honours historic achievements that represent groundbreaking innovations in electrical and electronic engineering. To be recognised, at least 25 years must have passed since the development, and the achievement must have made significant contributions to society and industry.
The 1983 launch of AKM’s HW Series marked a major milestone in the successful mass production of magnetic sensors using thin-film Hall elements, laying the foundation for the technology’s evolution and broader adoption in consumer electronics.
Early thin-film Hall elements lacked sensitivity and suffered substantial reliability issues, particularly regarding thermal stability. In response, AKM placed a thin-film layer of the narrow bandgap compound semiconductor indium antimonide (InSb) between two ferrites to concentrate magnetic flux and substantially boost detection sensitivity.
AKM then implemented a three-layer electrode structure that allowed for gold wire bonding, greatly enhancing thermal stability and the durability required for mass production.
These innovations enabled the full- scale industrialisation of these devices: To date, over 50 billion units of Hall sensor products based on this technology have been shipped worldwide.
Satoshi Takehara, executive officer of Asahi Kasei Microdevices, commented: “We are grateful to our customers for their longstanding trust in our thin-film high-sensitivity Hall elements, as well as to our suppliers and stakeholders for their continued support throughout many years of production. This IEEE Milestone recognition encourages us to further strengthen the quality and reliability of our products while advancing technological development that meets the evolving needs of society.”
