STMicroelectronics Launches Industrial-Grade Single-Zone Direct ToF Sensor with Extended Operating Temperature Range

July 26, 2024, China - STMicroelectronics has launched the single-zone time-of-flight (ToF) sensor VL53L4ED with an extended operating temperature range of -40°C to 105°C . VL53L4ED is suitable for harsh environment applications such as industrial equipment, smart factory equipment, robot guidance systems, outdoor lighting control, security monitoring systems, etc., and can improve proximity detection accuracy and measurement distance under high ambient light conditions.

The VL53L4ED is a new member of STMicroelectronics' VL53L4 series of direct time-of-flight sensors, integrating a laser emitter and a single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detector array in an easy-to-use all-in-one module, providing reliable measurement data even under extreme temperature conditions. The next-generation laser provides excellent ranging performance and proximity detection accuracy in environments with high ambient light. In addition, the sensor also has a built-in processor that enables power-saving autonomous operation mode, reducing resource requirements on the main controller system.

STMicroelectronics' new ToF sensor can measure objects up to 1150 mm away with high accuracy over the entire field of view and temperature range. Special settings allow the sensor to accurately measure objects up to 800 mm away in strong ambient light conditions. The VL53L4ED sensor maintains good linearity down to 1 mm and supports ranging frequencies up to 100 Hz.

Developers can use the X-CUBE-TOF1 expansion package of the STM32Cube ecosystem to accelerate the development of VL53L4 series sensing projects. The ready-to-use software also includes the STSW-IMG034 driver, which can use interrupt commands to turn the VL53L4ED or VL53L4CD into an ultra-low-power proximity detector for user detection, system activation and contactless control. In addition, there are liquid level detection code examples in the STSW-IMG039 software package. The development hardware includes the X-NUCLEO-53L4A3 expansion board for the NUCLEO-F401RE microcontroller development board, which simplifies the operation of code examples and application development, as well as the SATEL-VL53L4ED adapter board for prototyping.

The VL53L4 sensor family is pin-compatible and is available in a 4.4 mm x 2.4 mm x 1 mm high LGA package. The new product, the VL53L4ED, is now in production.

* STM32 is a registered and/or unregistered trademark of STMicroelectronics International NV or its affiliates in the EU and/or elsewhere. In particular, STM32 is registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office.

* STM32 is a registered and/or unregistered trademark of STMicroelectronics International NV or its affiliates in the EU and/or elsewhere. In particular, STM32 is registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office.