Diodes Incorporated (Nasdaq: DIOD) has expanded its automotive Hall effect latch portfolio with the launch of the AH3711Q, targeting motor control and precision position-sensing applications that require ultra-low magnetic thresholds and high operational reliability.
The new device joins the company’s AH371xQ series and is designed for automotive systems such as power windows, sunroofs, tailgates, seat adjustment motors, cooling fans, water and oil pumps, and speed measurement systems. The Hall effect latch also supports brushless DC (BLDC) motor control, valve operation, and rotary encoder applications.
A key feature of the AH3711Q is its high magnetic sensitivity. The device supports magnetic operate and release points across ±10 Gauss, enabling detection of weaker magnetic fields. This allows automakers and system designers to use smaller magnets, helping reduce component size and overall bill-of-materials costs.
The increased magnetic margin also enables lower duty-cycle operation, which can reduce power consumption and improve battery efficiency in automotive systems.
Diodes said the latch operates across a wide 3V to 27V input range. To improve durability in harsh vehicle environments, the device integrates reverse polarity protection, short-circuit protection, and safeguards against 40V load dump conditions. It also features an 8kV Human Body Model (HBM) and 1kV Charged Device Model (CDM) electrostatic discharge rating.
The AH3711Q incorporates a chopper-stabilized design to minimize switch-point drift across temperatures ranging from -40°C to +150°C. The approach also improves immunity to thermal stress and stray magnetic fields during PCB assembly and operation.
According to the company, the latch offers a typical power-on response time of 13 microseconds, aimed at reducing system-level startup faults. Open-drain outputs provide flexibility for external pull-up voltages that may operate above or below the device supply voltage.
Package polarity orientation differs across variants. The SOT23 and SIP-3 packages require the south pole facing the marked side of the package, while the SC59 version requires the south pole on the opposite side.
The AH3711Q is priced at $0.20 in 2,000-piece volumes. Diodes also offers a non-automotive version, the AH3711, for industrial and commercial applications.
