When it comes to developing microphones, designers often have to accept trade-offs: high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a small package, high acoustic overload point, low power consumption, MEMS versus electret condenser microphones (ECM). For this reason, applications that require high performance microphones tended to previously use ECMs instead of MEMS.
A 73 dB SNR and a high acoustic overload point (135 dB SPL) make for a very high dynamic range microphone with a small footprint of 4 x 3 x 1.2 mm.
These microphone feature tight frequency curve matching for effective audio signal processing and deliver the industry’s lowest power consumption of 170 μA. The IM73A135 allows designers to reach a level of high audio performance restricted to ECMs while at the same time reaping the benefits inherent in MEMS technology.
Infineon said that its new MEMS microphone are able to offer excellent characteristics to enhance active noise cancellation in headphones, a market that if forecast to grow to approximately 250 million devices by 2025 with a CAGR of 16 percent.
Additionally, the low self-noise makes the IM73A135 especially suited for high-quality audio capturing required in conference systems, cameras, or audio recorders. A market that is also expected to increase significantly.
