Unveiling industry’s smallest (LiDAR) ICs for faster self-driving cars

Designers of automotive self-driving systems can now enable higher-speed autonomous driving through the industry’s fastest and smallest Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) ICs from Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. (NASDAQ: MXIM). Compared to the closest competitive solution, the MAX40026 high-speed comparator and the MAX40660/ MAX40661 high-bandwidth trans impedance amplifiers enable 10mph (15km/h) faster autonomous driving at highway speeds by providing more than 2x higher bandwidth and accommodating 32 additional channels (128 vs. 96) to a LiDAR module within the same module size.

With automotive self-driving systems evolving from 35mph to 65mph and beyond, LiDAR sensors are playing an increasing role in the fusion of vehicle sensors for their ability to provide accurate distance measurement of objects. With more than twice the bandwidth and the ability to accommodate 33 percent more channels within the same LiDAR module size compared to the closest competitor, the MAX40660/MAX40661 trans impedance amplifiers (TIAs) provide optical receiver designers with higher-resolution images that enable faster autonomous driving systems.

The system size of the MAX40026 high-speed comparator plus the MAX40660/1 TIAs is 5mm² smaller than the closest competitive solution, which allows developers to fit far more channels into space-constrained vehicle platforms. These ICs meet the stringent safety requirements of the automotive industry with AEC-Q100 qualification, enhanced electrostatic discharge (ESD) performance and failure modes, effects and diagnostic analysis (FMEDA) to support ISO 26262 certification at the system level.

Key Advantages

• Small Solution Size: The MAX40026 TDFN package size of 4mm² and the MAX40660/1 TDFN package size of 9mm² provide the industry’s smallest overall solution size.
• Industry’s Highest Precision: Maxim’s TIAs support 128 channels with the industry’s highest bandwidth of 490MHz for MAX40660 and 2.1pA/√Hz input-referred noise density to support higher accuracy distance measurement in LiDAR applications; in addition, low propagation delay dispersion of the MAX40026 (10 picoseconds) contributes to accurate detection of both fixed and moving objects.
• Low Power: MAX40660/1 reduces current consumption more than 80 percent in low power mode.

Commentary

• “Excellent sensors need an excellent signal chain. It has been a pleasure collaborating with Maxim to create a joint evaluation kit leveraging each of our high-bandwidth LiDAR solutions,” said Conny Heiler, director of Marketing at First Sensor.
• “Automotive engineers need elements that support greater precision, lower power and smaller solution size in order to add next-generation LiDAR capabilities to cars rolling off the assembly line,” said Veronique Rozan, executive director of business management, Core Automotive and Special Projects at Maxim Integrated. “Advancements in LiDAR-based solutions will support greater driver awareness and safety from next-generation automotive navigation systems.”

Availability and Pricing

• The MAX40026ATA/VY+T is available for $4.09 at Maxim’s website; also available from authorized distributors
• The MAX40660 is available for $3.95 (1000-up, FOB USA) at Maxim’s website; also available from authorized distributors
• The MAX40661 is available for $3.74 (1000-up, FOB USA) at Maxim’s website; also available from authorized distributors
• The MAX40026EVKIT# evaluation kit is available for $71.40.
• The MAX40660EVKIT# evaluation kit is available for $102.90.
• The MAX40661EVKIT# evaluation kit is available for $102.90.

For more information, visit www.maximintegrated.com