ams OSRAM launches new ambient light/proximity sensor

New ambient light/proximity sensor from ams and OSRAM enables precise color and brightness management for high-speed, high-definition OLED displays

The new ambient light/proximity sensor TCS3720 from ams OSRAM has higher sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio, and can still maintain excellent measurement performance under the new low-transmittance OLED screen;

• Satisfy phone manufacturers’ expectations for extremely high display performance without sacrificing display management or proximity sensing capabilities;

• The TCS3720 can reliably support a 5cm proximity sensing range.

Shanghai, China, July 5, 2022 – ams OSRAM, a leading global supplier of optical solutions, has announced the launch of a combined ambient light (ALS) and proximity sensor that provides accurate color and illuminance measurement as well as reliable proximity detection, delivering outstanding performance on the high-speed, high-definition OLED displays of new smartphones.

The new TCS3720 is ams OSRAM’s next-generation “under-OLED” sensor for smartphone displays with high refresh rates, high-frequency PWM brightness control and low transmittance. These display characteristics make the operating conditions for under-OLED ambient light/proximity sensors extremely challenging: high sampling speeds shorten the time between measurements of light signals, while low transmittance weakens the signal reaching the sensor’s photodiode.

Compared to previous generations of OLED under-screen sensors, the innovative technologies incorporated by ams Osram in the TCS3720 significantly improve sensitivity and dynamic range. The sensitivity of the TCS3720 is more than five times that of the first-generation TCS3701, and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is three times higher. The TCS3720 is available in a 12-pin OLGA package with dimensions of 3.34mm x 1.36mm x 0.6mm.

ams OSRAM has also introduced independent VSYNC timing synchronization for the ALS and proximity sensing functions to improve the synchronization of the measurement timing with the brightness drive timing.

With these innovative technologies, accurate measurement performance can be achieved even when the device is working under faster and darker OLED screens. In typical applications, the TCS3720 can reliably support a proximity sensing range of up to 5 cm while providing color and illuminance measurements to finely optimize the brightness and color balance of mobile phone displays.

Will Zhou, Product Marketing Director for Integrated Optical Sensors at OSRAM ams, said: “Today’s smartphones deliver amazing display experiences that can display dynamic action scenes smoothly and in high resolution. With the TCS3720, smartphone manufacturers can meet their customers’ expectations for the highest display performance without compromising display management or proximity sensing capabilities.”

The TCS3720 is a fully integrated ALS and proximity sensor IC with the following features:

• Two advanced drivers for infrared proximity sensing VCSELs;

• Red, green, blue and clear photodiode channels with built-in UV and IR shielding interference filters;

• Automatically maximize dynamic range;

• Advanced crosstalk cancellation;

• Adjustable IR transmitter timing and power output to optimize SNR or power consumption.

The TCS3720 is in volume production now.

The ams-OSRAM TCS3720 has higher sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio, and can still maintain excellent measurement performance under the new low-transmittance OLED screen (Image: ams-OSRAM)

New ambient light/proximity sensors from ams and OSRAM enable precise color and brightness management in high-speed, high-definition OLED displays in new smartphones (Image: ams and OSRAM)