STMicroelectronics’ Enable Smartphones to Click Shake-Free Pictures

STMicroelectronics’ announces the launch ofL20G20IS miniature 2-axis MEMS gyroscope. The new 2-axis MEMS gyroscope from STMicroelectronics’ provides pin-sharp image stabilization in a compact form, increased performance, and advanced vibration immunity.

Lauding STMicroelectronics’ highly integrated Optical Image Stabilization device family, the new L20G20IS offers:

• It measures just 2.0mm x 2.0mm x 0.7mm, liberating an extra 1.29mm² of board space (compared to the previous 2.3mm x 2.3mm L2G2IS) to help shrink camera-module size and simplify circuit design.
• Its superior suppression ratio of 6dB gives outstanding optical correction to banish camera shake from smartphone photography.
• The L20G20IS maintains its extreme accuracy even when soldered on the latest ultra-thin substrates, which are typically only 0.2mm or 0.3mm thick and increasingly used by handset designers to create new super-slim and flat cases with no “camera bump.”
• By eliminating the effects of substrate deformation as the smartphone is moved, the L20G20IS keeps the Zero-Rate Level (ZRL) within specification to ensure consistent measurements for image stabilization.
• Overall noise performance is also significantly enhanced, with rate noise density (RND) of 3.8mdps/√Hz, configurable phase delay down to 1° at 20Hz, and typical ZRL of ±5dps, all contributing to crisper photos from smartphone cameras.
• At up to ±200dps, the full-scale range is undiminished, while sensitivity and temperature stability are both improved.
• An integrated temperature sensor ensures best-in-class compensation, to help users capture sharp images even with long exposure times.

Additional Features Include:

Among other improvements coming from ST’s state-of-the-art MEMS-device capabilities, the L20G20IS boots in less than 70ms, up 30% faster than the L2G2IS, and draws less than half the current by operating at just 1.4mA.

There are also power-down and sleep modes, which allow smart-camera software to save even more battery energy.

Availability, Packaging and Pricing

The L20G20IS is compatible with single- or dual-camera modules, and is available now in the 12-lead 2mm x 2mm LGA package. Pricing is from $1.69 for orders of 1000 pieces.