Low-Power Threshold Detector Touts Wide Hysteresis Span

The range of hysteresis values that can be set with threshold detectors has been greatly widened with the development of the MIC833 chip. Melding together a precision, 1% voltage reference with two ultra-low-power comparators and a latch, the MIC833 threshold detector IC for portable, battery-powered products enables hysteresis values to be set anywhere from millivolts to volts, a dramatic improvement over the 100-to-200 mV span for competing comparators with adjustable hysteresis. The independently-adjustable upper and lower detection thresholds are set by three external resistors, with the hysteresis voltage represented by the difference between the two thresholds. Other chip characteristics include: a propagation delay of 5 µs for a low supply current of just 1 µA; inputs and outputs that can pull up to 6V, regardless of supply voltage; built-in hysteresis for noise suppression; and immunity to brief input transients. The micropower precision dual voltage comparator comes in an IttyBitty 5-lead SOT23-5 package.