Epson Toyocom Develops New Absolute Pressure Sensor

High-resolution XP-6000CA sensor accurately detects height changes in 3-cm increments by sensing changes in pressure

TOKYO, Japan, Epson Toyocom Corporation, the leader in crystal devices, today announced it has developed an extremely small absolute pressure sensor that provides excellent accuracy and resolution.
Samples of the new sensor (model name: XP-6000CA) will become available in October 2010.

Epson Toyocom develops and sells high-performance quartz pressure sensors for a variety of applications. The company’s sensors are used in, for example, manufacturing equipment where highly accurate pressure measurements are needed, and in measuring instruments that calculate the water level of rivers or the water level behind dams based on water pressure. Epson Toyocom has steadily miniaturized its quartz pressure sensors to the point where they are compact enough for use in mobile devices - and has done so without sacrificing accuracy or resolution.

The XP-6000CA employs an innovative new QMEMS*1 pressure-sensing structure that allows the sensor to squeeze into a tiny 7.0 x 5.0 x 2.0t mm package yet still provides excellent total pressure accuracy (±30 Pa) and high resolution (0.3 Pa).
In addition to offering high accuracy and high resolution, the XP-6000CA sensor provides stable output even under varying external temperatures and environmental conditions because the sensor element is made of highly stable quartz crystal.

The new sensor’s pressure measurements are resistant to the effects of noise because it uses frequency counting, a principle based on crystal measurement technology, to measure pressure.

The XP-6000CA has a resolution of 0.3 Pa. Since atmospheric pressure changes by about 0.1 Pa with each 1-cm change in altitude, a 0.3-Pa change in atmospheric pressure is equivalent to about a 3-cm change in altitude. The XP-6000CA is thus capable of sensing the equivalent of an approximately 3-cm change in altitude. The ability to sense such slight changes in pressure/altitude in a package size so small enables the XP-6000CA to be integrated into applications that require very fine altitude readings in mobile gear such as activity meters*2 and personal navigation devices*3.
The new sensor can also help make industrial pressure measurement equipment smaller and more space efficient.

Epson Toyocom is committed to the advancement of applications in the miniature pressure sensor segment by developing compact sensors that provide highly accurate, high resolution measurements.

Main Features

1. Total pressure accuracy: ±30 Pa Max.
2. Resolution: 0.3 Pa
3. Pressure measurement range: 30 kPa to 130 kPa
4. Operating temperature range: -40°C to +85°C
5. Size: 7.0 x 5.0 x 2.0t mm

Main Specifications
Item / Specifications
Pressure measurement range / 30 kPa to 130 kPa (absolute pressure)
Total pressure accuracy / ±30 Pa Max.
Resolution / 0.3 Pa
Operating temperature range / -40°C to +85°C
Temperature sensor / Built-in
Interface / I2C
Supply voltage / +2.4 to +3.6 VDC
External dimensions / 7.0 x 5.0 x 2.0t mm

Glossary

*1 QMEMS
QMEMS is a combination of “Quartz,” a crystalline material with excellent characteristics such as high stability and high precision, and “MEMS” (micro electro mechanical system). QMEMS quartz devices are created using quartz material instead of the semiconductors used by MEMS. We perform precision microfabrication on the quartz material to offer high performance in a compact package.
QMEMS is a registered trademark of Epson Toyocom

*2 activity meter
An activity meter is similar to a pedometer, which counts the number of steps taken. However, an activity meters measures total calories burned based on the total movement, including steps, of the wearer.

*3 personal navigation device
A car navigation system that has been scaled down to make it portable.

About Epson
Epson is a global imaging and innovation leader that is dedicated to exceeding the vision of customers worldwide through its compact, energy-saving, high-precision technologies, with a product lineup ranging from printers and 3LCD projectors for business and the home, to electronic and crystal devices.
Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises over 70,000 employees in 106 companies around the world, and is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and the communities in which it operates. http://global.epson.com/

About Epson Toyocom
Epson Toyocom Corporation is the global leader in crystal devices, which serve as the heart and pulse for a wide range of electronic products for consumers and industry. Utilizing its innovative hybrid quartz microfabrication technology,
QMEMS, Epson Toyocom offers technological expertise in timing, sensing, and optical devices, and maintains its leadership position by providing customer-specific combinations and solutions. http://www.epsontoyocom.co.jp/english/